Overview

• Emails reviewed by multiple outlets show employees who publicly signed the letter were placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately, barred from facilities and systems, and told to remain available during business hours.
• Reports differ on the scope of the suspensions, ranging from more than 20 to about 30 employees, while Stand Up for Science and ABC say all 36 named signatories were sidelined.
• The 'Katrina Declaration' was signed by roughly 180–191 current and former staff, with only about 35–36 attaching their names and the remainder signing anonymously due to fear of retaliation.
• The letter faults a policy requiring DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to personally approve spending over $100,000 and cites delays in July’s Kerrville, Texas flood response, alongside workforce cuts and leadership concerns.
• FEMA defended the actions and broader reforms as necessary to overcome inefficiency, while the advocacy group behind the letter called the suspensions retaliatory and said some sidelined staff were working on the Kerr County response.