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FEMA Employees Put on Leave After Letter Warning of Katrina-Scale Risks

The suspensions highlight a deepening rift over cuts that employees say could unravel post‑Katrina safeguards.

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Overview

  • AP and Reuters report that several current FEMA staffers were placed on paid administrative leave shortly after a protest letter was sent to the agency’s board and Congress.
  • More than 180 current and former employees signed the letter, with 35 using their names and 141 signing anonymously out of fear of retaliation.
  • The letter warned that leadership changes and program reductions could degrade disaster‑response capacity and reverse reforms enacted after Hurricane Katrina.
  • FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargues defended the actions as part of President Trump’s push for accountability and reform at the agency.
  • Context from the coverage notes roughly 2,000 staff departures this year—about one‑third of the workforce—and a proposed $1 billion funding cut, with similar staff suspensions previously reported at the EPA.