Tag

#FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency — responsible for disaster preparedness and response. Incidents involve the dismantlement of FEMA capabilities, politicization of disaster aid, and reduction of emergency preparedness infrastructure.

4 incidents

Updated March 25, 2026 Federal Dismantlement
Serious Rights Violation Ongoing

FEMA Dismantlement — Budget Cuts, Mass Layoffs, and Destruction of Disaster Response Capacity

A systematic effort to dismantle federal disaster preparedness and response capacity through budget cuts, mass layoffs, program terminations, and structural reorganization. FEMA's workforce has already shrunk by one-third, with plans to cut it in half. The disaster response workforce faces a 41% cut and the surge workforce an 85% cut, leaving the country dangerously unprepared for hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and other disasters.

Sources
8
FEMAdisaster preparednessfederal dismantlementbudget cutslayoffs
Updated August 28, 2018 Federal Dismantlement
War Crime / Crime Against Humanity

Hurricane Maria and the Federal Abandonment of Puerto Rico

Maria caused the largest blackout in U.S. history and destroyed Puerto Rico's infrastructure. The Trump administration delayed FEMA resources, deployed far fewer personnel and supplies than comparable mainland disasters, slow-walked waiver of the Jones Act, sent paper towels rather than aid at a critical moment, and accused Puerto Rican officials of corruption when they asked for more help. Harvard researchers estimated 2,975 excess deaths; the Trump administration initially reported 64.

Sources
6
Puerto-Ricohurricane-mariadisaster-responsefirst-termFEMA
Updated August 28, 2018 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Hurricane Maria: Catastrophic Federal Failure in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico lost nearly all electrical power — the largest power outage in U.S. history at that point. FEMA's response was slower and less resourced than its response to simultaneous Hurricane Harvey in Texas. The Jones Act (prohibiting foreign ships from transporting cargo between U.S. ports) was waived immediately for Texas and Florida but not for Puerto Rico until 11 days after landfall. Trump attacked Mayor Cruz personally, calling her 'nasty' and suggesting Puerto Ricans wanted 'everything done for them.' Trump's visit ten days after the storm became notorious when he tossed paper towel rolls into a crowd of disaster survivors. Harvard's independent study estimated 4,645 deaths attributable to the storm and its aftermath — 73 times the official government count.

Sources
4
Puerto-RicoHurricane-MariaFEMAfirst-termrule-of-law
Updated December 1, 2017 Rule of Law
Major Abuse of Power

Hurricane Irma: Virgin Islands and Federal Disaster Response Disparities

Hurricane Irma was among the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded at the time of landfall. The U.S. Virgin Islands sustained catastrophic damage: Saint John lost 90% of its structures, the power grid was destroyed, and the water supply was disrupted. Federal response, while eventually mobilized, faced significant delays and resource gaps compared to responses to Florida and Texas in the same hurricane season. The Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp criticized the federal response as inadequate. The contrast between response speeds for voting-status U.S. territories (Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico) versus states became a subject of policy debate and congressional hearings.

Sources
3
Virgin-IslandsHurricane-IrmaFEMAfirst-termrule-of-law