Kristi Noem policy reversal reinstates 14 FEMA employees
FEMA reinstated 14 employees on Thursday after they had spent eight months on paid administrative leave for signing the Katrina Declaration, a public dissent letter released last Aug. 25. Abby McIlraith, one of the workers returned to duty, said she felt “pretty vindicated” after receiving emails on Wednesday telling the group to come back to work.
Katrina Declaration signers
The 14 were among more than 190 current and former FEMA employees who signed the letter, but they were the only active FEMA staffers in that group. The declaration said DHS had reassigned some FEMA employees to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, failed to appoint a qualified FEMA administrator as required by law, and cut mitigation programs, preparedness training and the FEMA workforce.
The letter also called for FEMA to be removed from under DHS and restored to Cabinet-level status. One day after it was released, the 14 staffers were put on indefinite paid administrative leave. They were reinstated in early December, then placed on leave again after one day.
Markwayne Mullin policy shift
The return comes as Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin moves away from the harsher approach toward FEMA associated with Kristi Noem. Mullin reversed Noem’s policy requiring her office to approve any DHS expenditure over $100,000, and he has released more than $1 billion in backlogged FEMA grants and reimbursements to states, tribes and territories since being sworn in last month.
A FEMA spokesperson said the agency is taking “targeted steps to stabilize our workforce and strengthen readiness” as it prepares for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season and the FIFA World Cup. The spokesperson also said, “Under new leadership, FEMA is addressing outstanding personnel actions to ensure workforce stability and a strong, deployable surge force for upcoming national events and potential disasters.”
Maryland FEMA office
McIlraith said she was back at work at a FEMA office in Maryland and added, “I feel pretty vindicated, and like we did the right thing.” For the workers involved, the immediate change is simple: after eight months away, they are back on duty inside the agency they publicly criticized over its readiness and leadership.
