FEMA Reinstates Whistleblowers Suspended Under Noem
Then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Federal disaster officials who had raised concerns about their own agency are being brought back to work after months on the sidelines.
At least 14 employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, who were placed on paid leave after publicly criticizing then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have now been cleared to return, according to the department and one of the whistleblowers. The employees were among those who signed the “Katrina Declaration” last August, which warned that FEMA was being weakened and objected to a policy requiring Noem’s personal approval for any spending over 100,000 dollars, according to reports from NBC News. While more than 180 current and former staff signed the declaration, most remained anonymous. The 14 who identified themselves were suspended, CNN reported.
Whistleblowers argued that the spending rule delayed emergency responses, including the deployment of urban search and rescue teams during last summer’s deadly floods in Texas Hill Country. FEMA officials say that policy has since been eliminated under new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who replaced Noem last month.
One of the reinstated employees, FEMA statistician James Stroud, said he received an unexpected email Wednesday informing him he could return. Stroud, whose job involves estimating how many people may be affected by disasters, reported back to FEMA headquarters Thursday morning. He said the situation felt unclear and frustrating, noting that employees had been paid for months without being allowed to work. He added that the outcome seemed like a correction of something that should not have happened in the first place.
A FEMA spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases but said the agency is working through remaining personnel matters as it prepares for the 2026 hurricane season and the upcoming FIFA World Cup, stressing the importance of a stable workforce and readiness for major emergencies.
The decision to reinstate the workers follows months of pressure from lawmakers, including Senator Andy Kim, who said the employees should never have faced retaliation for speaking out. He praised them for raising concerns they believed could affect public safety.
According to CNN, at least two senior FEMA officials who had also been suspended during an internal effort to identify leaks have now been reinstated. Sources said those officials were placed on leave without explanation after undergoing polygraph tests more than a year ago.
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