The Federal Emergency Management Agency has brought back to work more than a dozen employees who were suspended last August following their participation in a public letter that criticized agency leadership and policies.
The return to work was verified Thursday by a U.S. lawmaker and the nonprofit organization that published the critical letter on its website.
According to Stand Up for Science, the nonprofit group involved, “all signers who are placed on administrative leave have been given the return to work order.”
The suspensions last year raised questions about the Trump administration’s tolerance for internal criticism, particularly as the president placed loyalists in key positions across federal agencies following his return to office in early 2025.
Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat who pushed for the workers’ reinstatement, confirmed he had discussed the matter with the new Department of Homeland Security secretary.
NBC News first broke the story, referencing email communications between DHS and the senator. Media reports also quoted some of the returning employees, including one who described feeling “vindicated.”
The controversial letter, sent to Congress last year by current and former disaster response agency staff, expressed alarm that inexperienced leadership appointments under the Trump administration could result in emergency response failures comparable to Hurricane Katrina.
The correspondence specifically targeted policies and decisions made under former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership.
Since Trump’s return to the presidency, FEMA has experienced substantial workforce reductions. Trump dismissed Noem in early March and selected Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
A FEMA representative stated the agency is “addressing outstanding personnel actions to ensure workforce stability.”
“As we approach the 2026 hurricane season and the FIFA World Cup, FEMA is taking targeted steps to stabilize our workforce and strengthen readiness,” the spokesperson explained to news organizations.
