Overview
- A 22-page DHS Privacy Office report concluded FEMA canvassers recorded First Amendment–protected political information in survivor files, violating the Privacy Act of 1974.
- Investigators reviewed screenshots and database extracts showing entries tied to party affiliation, campaign signs, and rhetoric, with some notes used to skip homes or withhold brochures.
- The conduct was not confined to Hurricane Milton in 2024, with incidents traced at least to Hurricane Ida in 2021 across multiple states, including examples labeled “Trump sign, no contact per leadership.”
- Since September 2021, canvassers flagged politically related cues such as “gun signage” 72 times and “Trump” 15 times, illustrating recurring but limited instances.
- DHS referred the findings to the Department of Justice and the DHS inspector general, canceled a criticized door-to-door survey practice, and ordered tighter data limits, clearer guidance, enhanced training, and stronger oversight and audits.