FEMA Employees Who Signed Katrina Declaration Placed on Administrative Leave Again

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) leadership put on administrative leave, reinstated, and then again put on leave a number of FEMA employees who signed a letter to Congress outlining their concerns with the agency. Known as the Katrina Declaration, the letter expressed concern about the administration's reduction of FEMA’s capacity to respond to emergencies. Nearly 200 FEMA employees signed the letter, but although most signed anonymously, a number signed their names and were almost immediately placed on leave. Some of those FEMA employees filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) alleging that the letter was protected whistleblowing. According to the employees' attorneys, on or about December 1, 2025, FEMA senior management reinstated the employees, saying that FEMA's legal counsel advised the Katrina Declaration was protected speech under the First Amendment and the Whistleblower Protection Act. The same day that news outlets reported on this reinstatement — and the employees' first day back at work — the employees were again put on leave and told to go home. According to media reports, a DHS spokesperson said that the employees were "wrongly and without authorization reinstated by bureaucrats acting outside of their authority" and that "senior leadership" put the employees back on leave when it found out about the move.