The Federal Emergency Management Agency suspended over 30 employees after they signed a letter criticizing President Donald Trump’s cuts to the disaster response agency. The suspensions came just one day after the workers published their concerns to Congress on Monday.
The suspended employees were among 191 current and former FEMA staff who signed the letter called the “Katrina Declaration.” Only 36 workers put their real names on the document. The others stayed anonymous because they feared punishment.
FEMA sent emails Tuesday night telling workers they were on paid leave starting immediately. The workers cannot access FEMA buildings, computers, or phones during their suspension. They must still check in each morning but cannot do their regular jobs.
The letter was sent on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. That 2005 storm killed over 1,800 people and showed major problems with federal disaster response. The FEMA workers warned that Trump’s changes could create another disaster like Katrina.
Workers complained about several Trump administration policies. These include moving FEMA staff to immigration enforcement and cutting disaster preparation programs. The letter also criticized budget cuts that eliminated about one third of FEMA’s workforce this year.
Some suspended workers helped respond to deadly flooding in Texas last month. That disaster killed at least 135 people, including 28 children at a summer camp. FEMA’s response was delayed because of new approval rules requiring the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to sign off on spending over $100,000.
The workers asked Congress to make FEMA independent from political control. They want protection from firings based on politics rather than job performance. The letter warned that without changes, FEMA could be “effectively dissolved”.
President Trump has talked about getting rid of FEMA entirely. He believes states should handle their own disaster responses instead of relying on federal help. His administration says FEMA has been inefficient and needs major reforms.
FEMA officials defended the Trump administration’s changes. They said the agency was “bogged down by red tape” and needed accountability reforms. Officials called the letter writers “bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency”.
Virginia Case, one of the suspended workers, told reporters she was “disappointed but not surprised” by the punishment. She said at least six other FEMA colleagues received similar suspension notices. Case works as a management analyst overseeing disaster cases.
The suspensions happened during peak hurricane season when FEMA typically faces its busiest period. Climate change is expected to make storms stronger and more frequent. The agency already lost about 2,000 employees this year through firings and early retirements.
Similar suspensions happened earlier this summer when 140 Environmental Protection Agency workers signed a letter criticizing Trump policies. The administration has targeted federal employees who speak out against government changes.
The Trump administration plans to cut another $1 billion from FEMA’s disaster preparation grants. These programs help communities build stronger infrastructure before disasters strike. Workers say these cuts will leave Americans more vulnerable to future storms and floods.
Hurricane season continues through November with warmer ocean temperatures creating conditions for more severe storms. The suspended FEMA workers warned that understaffing during this critical period puts American lives at risk.
