A group of Democrats accuses Trump of undermining disaster relief by using FEMA to advance his immigration agenda
A House of Representatives report states that the agency lost staff and response capacity by diverting employees and funds to ICE operations
As the United States faces a season marked by hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters, a new report by House Democrats accuses the Donald Trump administration of using Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources to support immigration enforcement operations, weakening the agency’s ability to fulfill its core mission.
The 34-page investigation was released by Rep. Greg Stanton, an Arizona Democrat and the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. The report concludes that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) turned FEMA into a key support agency for operations carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), diverting emergency management personnel to immigration enforcement duties.
“This report is damning. After the Trump administration hollowed out a third of FEMA’s workforce, it put disaster professionals to work as the ‘operational backbone’ of its cruel mass deportation agenda, likely in violation of federal law,” Stanton said when releasing the report.
According to the investigation, the administration relied on FEMA employees to assist with hiring new immigration officers, administrative duties, logistical coordination and even support at detention centers. The report says these assignments lasted for months and extended well beyond the typical duration of temporary details.
Lawmakers identified 14 key findings. Among them, they argue that DHS leadership relied on FEMA’s logistical expertise to strengthen immigration enforcement and detention operations while the agency was grappling with significant staffing reductions, leadership turnover and limitations on its disaster response capabilities.
The investigation also links these decisions to problems that emerged during last year’s deadly flooding in Texas. According to the report, FEMA’s response was affected by administrative delays and the expiration of call center contracts, leaving hundreds of disaster survivors waiting extended periods for assistance while the agency processed tens of thousands of cases.
The report says FEMA has lost about 30% of its workforce since January 2025 — roughly 5,000 employees — due to budget cuts, resignations and reassignments. At the same time, dozens of staff members were deployed to support immigration initiatives as the agency prepared for another hurricane season.
It also includes testimony from current and former FEMA officials describing how immigration-related assignments consumed human resources essential to the agency’s day-to-day operations. Among the reported consequences were delays in hiring, salary adjustments and other critical administrative functions.
Although some former officials acknowledged that previous administrations had occasionally assigned FEMA to missions outside disaster response, they said those efforts had been humanitarian in nature, such as assisting migrants or supporting the federal response to the COVID pandemic. By contrast, they argue that using the agency to coordinate deportation operations represents a significant departure from past practice.
Based on its findings, Stanton and Democrats on the subcommittee issued eight recommendations. These include resuming FEMA hiring and training programs, immediately recalling employees assigned to ICE and CBP, requiring both agencies to reimburse FEMA for all costs associated with immigration enforcement operations, and strengthening FEMA’s independence to prevent future administrations from diverting its resources away from disaster response.
“FEMA exists for one reason: to be there for Americans on the worst day of their lives. We’re in the middle of a dangerous and destructive hurricane and wildfire season. The stakes couldn’t be higher.” Stanton said.
The debate over FEMA’s role comes as the agency continues aligning parts of its programs with the Trump administration’s national security priorities. Recently, FEMA announced it would withhold 20% of certain Homeland Security Grant Program funding until states and high-risk urban jurisdictions demonstrate compliance with new federal election security requirements, including transitioning to hand-marked paper ballots and verifying the citizenship of voters and election workers.
The measure follows other conditions FEMA has imposed in recent months related to immigration enforcement and diversity, equity and inclusion policies, several of which have prompted lawsuits from states and local governments