President Donald Trump announced Monday the members of his FEMA review council, which he tasked with returning power to state-level emergency managers.
Trump, who has been very critical of FEMA&#8217;s handling of recent natural disasters, signed an executive order in January aimed at bringing serious reform to the agency. In previous interviews, Trump has floated the idea of getting rid of FEMA all together, and handing back responsibility to the states to handle their own emergencies with federal funding.
&#8220;I am proud to announce the formation of the FEMA Review Council, comprised of Top Experts in their fields, who are Highly Respected by their peers,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1916943942156734688">posted</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;I know that the new Members will work hard to fix a terribly broken System, and return power to State Emergency Managers, who will help, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!&#8221;
Members of the task force include Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, RNC Chair Michael Whatley, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
&#8220;As a proud son of Western North Carolina, I have seen first-hand the incredible work of the Trump Administration to help the region recover from Hurricane Helene and look forward to working with these great leaders to bring much-needed reforms to federal emergency response across the country,&#8221; Whatley <a href="https://x.com/ChairmanWhatley/status/1917045935286182331" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in response to the news.
In his executive order, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/">said</a> the council will assess “the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest.”
The executive order stipulates that the council develop proposals to improve FEMA, survey states and other stakeholders impacted by natural disasters, and produce a comprehensive report on the agency and how disaster relief was handled before its creation.
His executive order also referenced the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">story</a> broken by The Daily Wire, revealing that a FEMA supervisor in Florida had ordered FEMA response workers to skip the homes of people with Trump signs or flags in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
“There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA,” Trump wrote in the executive order. “Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.”

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Attend Hurricane Briefing at FEMA

Trump Rolls Out FEMA Taskforce To Fix ‘Terribly Broken’ Emergency System

Donald Trump

FEMA

Glenn Youngkin

Greg Abbott

Kristi Noem

Michael Whatley

Natural Disaster

Pete Hegseth

U.S.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand earlier today, killing at least 154 people as President Trump pledged U.S. assistance to the devastated region.
&#8220;The death toll and injuries are expected to increase,&#8221; stated Myanmar&#8217;s military ruler Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing during a television broadcast, confirming 144 fatalities and 730 wounded in his nation.
According to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-earthquake-bangkok-4fce87aced74b1fc0cf260fb5454d353">report</a> by the Associated Press, Thai officials documented 10 deaths, 16 injuries, and 101 missing persons from three construction sites in Bangkok, including one collapsed high-rise.
The tremor hit at midday near Mandalay, Myanmar&#8217;s second-largest city, with multiple aftershocks following, including one measuring 6.4 magnitude.
United States Geological Survey experts estimated that casualties could ultimately exceed 1,000 throughout the region.
Myanmar&#8217;s military regime, which seized power in a 2021 coup, issued urgent calls for blood donations and expressed willingness to accept foreign assistance. The United Nations immediately allocated $5 million for initial relief efforts.
President Donald Trump pledged American aid to the earthquake-ravaged region on Friday, saying, “We’re going to be helping. We’ve already alerted the people. Yeah, it’s terrible what happened.”
Rescue operations face enormous obstacles in Myanmar, which is already suffering from devastating civil conflict, not to mention the now-collapsed bridges and cracked roads as a result of the earthquake.
&#8220;We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction,&#8221; warned Mohammed Riyas, International Rescue Committee&#8217;s Myanmar director.
State media reported building collapses across five urban areas and the destruction of two bridges, including one on a crucial highway connecting major cities. A dam failure in Mandalay has reportedly caused flooding in the surrounding lowlands.
In Bangkok, witnesses captured footage of a 33-story construction project crumbling near the city&#8217;s famous Chatuchak market.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a great tragedy,&#8221; remarked Thailand&#8217;s Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit after visiting the remains of the city.
&#8220;Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need,&#8221; said Julie Mehigan, who oversees Christian Aid&#8217;s work in Asia.
According to United Nations data, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already in desperate need of humanitarian assistance prior to the earthquake.

Tremors from Myanmar Earthquake Are Felt In Bangkok

Death Toll Rises To Over 150 In Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake; Trump Commits American Support

earthquake

United Nations

World

Alabama Senator Katie Britt praised the Trump administration for firing three more FEMA employees after it conducted an investigation into a supervisor&#8217;s directive for relief workers to skip homes with Trump flags or signs.
Britt made the comments in response to a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Chair-Britt22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> she received from Acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton telling her that he had fired three employees who had a supervisory role over Marn&#8217;i Washington, the woman who told federal relief workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to &#8220;avoid homes advertising Trump.&#8221; Hamilton wrote in response to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-senator-demands-mayorkas-answer-over-fema-employee-guidance-to-skip-trump-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter Britt sent</a> on November 9, one day after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported</a> on the guidance, demanding answers from then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“I am sincerely grateful for FEMA’s efforts along with President Trump and [Homeland Secretary Secretary Kristi] Noem to ensure every American in need of critical aid, regardless of political affiliation, receives impartial assistance,&#8221; Britt, the chair of the subcommittee that appropriates money for Homeland Security, told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;I also appreciate FEMA taking necessary action to fire these individuals complicit in bypassing homes and conditioning aid as well as to provide additional training for the agency’s employees,&#8221; she added. &#8220;As I wrote in my letter to FEMA last November, the American people must have assurances this outrageous behavior never happens again.”
Hamilton&#8217;s letter to Britt closely mirrored a letter that was sent to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and the House Oversight Committee. He noted that the guidance, which led to around 20 homes being skipped, was investigated internally by the Office of Inspector General, the Office of the Special Counsel, and FEMA’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
“The OPR investigation found no evidence that this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership,” he added. “However, it did determine that those in the immediate supervisor chain of the single staff member who engaged in this conduct should have had more direct control of their subordinates’ behavior. Thus, they failed to meet my expectations of leaders in this organization and have been terminated.”
“This action has been taken both because of their failure to meet our standards of conduct and because it is essential that the entire workforce understand that this incident was reprehensible, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated at FEMA,&#8221; he added, saying that FEMA employees were given additional training to make sure they knew that politics were not an acceptable consideration during disaster relief operations.
Britt&#8217;s initial letter to Mayorkas demanded answers on why the direction was given and that he make assurances that it would not happen again.

Senate Judiciary Cmte Holds Confirmation Hearing For FBI Director Nominee Patel

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Praises FEMA For Firing Employees Over Directive To Skip Trump Homes

Alabama

Alejandro Mayorkas

Department of Homeland Security

Hurricane Milton

Trump Administration

Three more FEMA employees have been fired as part of the agency’s investigation into guidance from a supervisor last year for relief workers in Florida to “avoid homes advertising Trump.” 
FEMA Acting Director Cameron Hamilton sent a letter on Tuesday to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), informing her of the firings and announcing the conclusion of the agency’s internal investigation. Hamilton said that the three fired employees were in the supervisory chain of FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-fema-fires-official-who-told-hurricane-relief-workers-to-skip-trump-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired</a> on November 9 after The Daily Wire reported that she instructed relief workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to skip homes with Trump flags or signs after Hurricane Milton. 
“As you know, FEMA terminated that crew lead’s employment with the agency on November 9. Since then, in cooperation with the Office of Inspector General and the Office of the Special Counsel, FEMA’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) — which reports directly to me — conducted an exhaustive investigation of this incident to determine the full extent of any further inappropriate behavior or misconduct,” Hamilton wrote, according to a copy of the letter shared with The Daily Wire. “That investigation has now concluded, and upon my review of all related materials, three additional individuals have been terminated.” 
The firings were first <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/06/us-news/fema-fired-three-supervisors-following-probe-into-crew-told-to-avoid-trump-supporting-homes-hit-by-hurricane-milton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on by the New York Post. 
In the letter, Hamilton said that the three employees had not met the agency’s standards of conduct and that he wanted to send a message that political bias in disaster relief was not acceptable. 
“This action has been taken both because of their failure to meet our standards of conduct and because it is essential that the entire workforce understand that this incident was reprehensible, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated at FEMA,” he wrote. 
“The OPR investigation found no evidence that this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership,” he added. “However, it did determine that those in the immediate supervisor chain of the single staff member who engaged in this conduct should have had more direct control of their subordinates’ behavior. Thus, they failed to meet my expectations of leaders in this organization and have been terminated.” 
Washington had claimed that there was a mass pattern of &#8220;avoidance&#8221; by FEMA workers throughout the South for political reasons. The Office of Special Counsel filed a complaint last month against her recommending that she face further disciplinary action.
Washington&#8217;s direct supervisor was an employee named Chad Hershey, according to an organizational flow chart previously obtained by The Daily Wire. He did not respond to request for comment.
The House Committee on Homeland Security previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-homeland-security-to-interview-second-fema-employee-about-trump-guidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requested</a> an interview with Hershey as part of its investigation into the incident. When first contacted by The Daily Wire back in November, Hershey said that he was “aware” of the situation with the Trump guidance, and that it was being looked into. 
“We are aware of it and we are taking proper action in this situation currently,” Hershey said, adding that “we are taking action at this moment regarding the situation that you’re talking about.” 
At least 20 homes in Lake Placid were skipped due to the guidance. Those homes were visited the day after news of the guidance broke, according to previous FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. Hamilton told Blackburn that he ordered employees to undergo additional training to “reinforce that political affiliation should never be a consideration in the rendering of assistance.”

Michigan Holds Its Primary Election

3 More FEMA Employees Fired After Probe Into Order To Skip Trump Homes

Florida

Marsha Blackburn

Lawmakers will grill top federal government investigators on Tuesday about the failures of President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security, from its handling of illegal immigration to disaster responses, The Daily Wire has learned. 
Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) will hold a hearing to examine waste and fraud at DHS during the Biden administration. The hearing will specifically look at FEMA’s struggles responding to natural disasters, the role that DHS potentially played in facilitating illegal immigration, and censoring Americans under Biden. 
The hearing, “Eliminating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at the Department of Homeland Security: Addressing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Failures,” will be held by the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability at 2:0o p.m. on March 11. 
“Under the Biden administration, waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars was rampant throughout the executive branch, including within DHS,” Brecheen told The Daily Wire. “I look forward to working with our witnesses to identify where DHS has fallen most behind in this effort, including FEMA&#8217;s struggle with providing disaster relief, DHS’ bloated contracts with non-governmental organizations that helped facilitate record illegal immigration into the country, and the department’s involvement in censoring Americans, which undermined civil liberties.”
Witnesses at the hearing include Chris Currie, the director of the Homeland Security and Justice Team at the Government Accountability Office; Kristen Bernard, deputy inspector general at the DHS Office of Audits; and Erika Lang, assistant inspector general at the DHS Office of Inspections and Evaluations.
One of the focuses of the hearing is FEMA, an agency that has come under increased scrutiny in recent months after one of its employees reportedly told hurricane relief workers to skip the homes of Trump supporters and for its role in providing housing for illegal immigrants. Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green (R-TN) launched an investigation into FEMA after the actions targeting Trump supporters were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported</a> by The Daily Wire. 
Other topics include how DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/2023/11/06/chairmen-green-bishop-uncover-new-evidence-of-dhs-big-tech-collaborating-to-censor-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked to</a> censor Americans&#8217; speech on COVID and the 2020 election. The hearing will also examine how DHS collaborated with non-governmental organizations to provide logistical support to illegal immigrants under the previous DHS Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas. 
The subcommittee will also investigate DHS&#8217;s failure to implement “important recommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse that the department failed to implement,” according to a committee aide. 
Brecheen said that Congress should follow the lead of the Trump administration in eliminating government waste and fraud.
&#8220;The Trump administration has created a golden age for government accountability in the interest of the American people — and Congress must play our part,” he said.

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas Joins White House Daily Press Briefing

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans To Grill Government Investigators About ‘Failures’ Of Biden DHS

Illegal Immigation

Joe Biden

House lawmakers announced Thursday that they will put FEMA under a “microscope” to assess its future as President Donald Trump has floated the idea of getting rid of the agency altogether.
Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL), the chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, said that he will hold a hearing on March 4 to evaluate FEMA’s use of taxpayer dollars. The agency has faced heavy criticism in recent months for its handling of recent hurricanes and reports of political bias.
“For nearly fifty years, Americans in every corner of this country have turned to FEMA for help when disaster hits,” Strong said. “Alongside President Trump and his administration, the Committee will continue to conduct oversight and examine reforms within the agency to ensure it works effectively and efficiently to serve Americans in need.”
“After four decades of experience as a first responder, I am honored to start my tenure as subcommittee chairman by hearing valuable insight from the emergency management community on how we can strike a better balance between FEMA and state governments in this effort,” Strong added.
The hearing will feature testimony from Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Smitherman, former FEMA official Timothy Manning, and several other emergency responder specialists.
Last year, the committee began an investigation into FEMA after The Daily Wire reported that former supervisor Marn’i Washington directed employees to skip homes with Trump signs or flags in Lake Placid, Florida.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-fema-executive-order-takes-aim-at-supervisor-who-told-workers-to-skip-his-supporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cited the guidance</a> in an executive order last month as one of the reasons he was launching a robust investigation of the agency.
“There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA,” Trump wrote in the executive order. “Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.”
Trump has suggested that FEMA might be scrapped and responsibilities for responding to natural disasters shifted to the states.
“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida. We had Alabama tornadoes,” he said in January. “But unless you have certain types of leadership, it’s really, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems.”

Trump Ends Climate Work Inside Agency That Responds To Disasters

House Republicans To Put FEMA Under The ‘Microscope’

Congress

Politics

Acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton said Thursday that the agency would review all funding and grants provided to non-governmental organizations as the Trump administration looks to slash wasteful spending. 
Hamilton made the announcement after President Donald Trump issued a memorandum last week ordering department and agency heads to review all funding for NGOs. FEMA was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musks-says-fema-spent-60m-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-luxury-hotels-last-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under scrutiny</a> this week after Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project flagged a $59 million payment they said was used to house illegal immigrants in luxury hotels in New York City.
“Because we care deeply about survivors and their communities and because we want to be accountable to the American people, effectively immediately we are implementing additional steps to fully review the entire slate of grants and funding that FEMA provides to NGOs,” Hamilton said in a video posted on X. 
“Our goal is to prioritize survivors and the communities impacted by the hardest hit disasters. We are doing this because we want to be responsible with our dollars and deliver them to those in need,” he added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Starting now, I have directed a review of the grants and funding that <a href="https://twitter.com/fema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FEMA</a> provides to nonprofit organizations.
Survivors and communities impacted by disasters are and will continue to be our main priority. <a href="https://t.co/zUlhW0b2Kh">pic.twitter.com/zUlhW0b2Kh</a>
— Cameron Hamilton (@FEMA_Cam) <a href="https://twitter.com/FEMA_Cam/status/1890204172835790999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hamilton also suggested that there would be upcoming announcements about reforming FEMA as changes have been demanded both by Trump and Congressional Republicans. 
On Tuesday, Trump called for the agency to be abolished and for disaster response to be turned over to the states. 
“THE BIDEN RUN FEMA HAS BEEN A DISASTER. FEMA SHOULD BE TERMINATED! IT HAS BEEN SLOW AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE,” he posted on Truth Social. “INDIVIDUAL STATES SHOULD HANDLE STORMS, ETC., AS THEY COME. BIG SAVINGS, FAR MORE EFFICIENT!!!”
A group of North Carolina House Republicans <a href="https://markharris.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/markharris.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fema-letter-feb-2025-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> to Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA, on Thursday asking for more answers about “the scandalous distribution of funds that prioritized illegal aliens over the American people.”
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“It is clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been neglecting its core mission to serve the American people,” they wrote. “From discriminating against individuals based on political views to promoting woke agendas like DEI, the agency has repeatedly failed to fulfill its most basic duties.”
Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dhs-has-clawed-back-the-59m-fema-paid-to-house-illegals-in-nyc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Wednesday that she had “clawed back” the $59 million flagged by DOGE that had been provided for migrant housing in NYC. That came after DHS fired four employees who the department said undercut the directives of Trump to make the funding available. New York officials have suggested that they will seek to get the money back as the city has seen a wave of illegal immigrants. 
Last month, Trump issued an executive order creating a council that will lead a comprehensive review of the agency and explore alternatives.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Headquarters in Washington, DC

FEMA Director Vows To Scrutinize Funding For NGOs Amid Calls For Drastic Reform

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Elon Musk

General

New York City

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly &#8220;clawed back&#8221; the $59 million that was sent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house illegal aliens in New York City just last week.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin posted the news via X, sharing a statement that had come directly from a Homeland Security spokesperson: &#8220;Secretary Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels. There will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: DHS says it has clawed back the full $59 million FEMA gave to NYC for migrant hotels, which lead to the firings of several individuals involved.
Statement to <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> via DHS spokesperson:
“Secretary Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists…
&mdash; Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1889735253146869850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A short time later, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also shared an update on the issue, saying that, among other things, FEMA had been funding housing for known gang members at a ritzy New York City hotel.
&#8220;I have clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels,&#8221; Noem <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/1889745682631721051">posted</a>. &#8220;FEMA was funding the Roosevelt Hotel that serves as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to house Laken Riley’s killer. Mark my words: there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people.&#8221;
Noem hit the ground running after her confirmation as DHS Secretary, and in the last week has spent time in North Carolina with hurricane survivors and in Cuba monitoring the transport of the illegal immigrants who will be housed at Guantanamo Bay.
&#8220;I had a chance to witness firsthand the resiliency of the people of North Carolina. @realDonaldTrump and I have your back. We are committed to getting Americans the aid and resources they need to rebuild quickly,&#8221; Noem posted on social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I had a chance to witness firsthand the resiliency of the people of North Carolina. <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and I have your back. 
We are committed to getting Americans the aid and resources they need to rebuild quickly. <a href="https://t.co/htF11GbZcA">pic.twitter.com/htF11GbZcA</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1889344784923300062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I was just in Cuba and saw firsthand criminal aliens being unloaded off a flight at GITMO,&#8221; another post read. &#8220;My message to criminal alien murderers, rapists, child predators and gangsters: do not come to this country or we will hunt you down, find you, and lock you up.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I was just in Cuba and saw firsthand criminal aliens being unloaded off a flight at GITMO. 
My message to criminal alien murderers, rapists, child predators and gangsters: do not come to this country or we will hunt you down, find you, and lock you up. <a href="https://t.co/BokRSqp4kr">pic.twitter.com/BokRSqp4kr</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1888949747169300667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem

DHS Has ‘Clawed Back’ The $59M FEMA Paid To House Illegals In NYC

DHS Has 'Clawed Back' The $59M FEMA Paid To House Illegals In NYC

Illegal Immigration

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-homeland-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Homeland Security</a> fired four FEMA employees who the agency said undercut the directives of President Donald Trump to house illegal immigrants in “luxury” hotels in New York City.
The agency announced Tuesday that it had fired its chief financial officer, two program analysts, and a grant supervisor who it said facilitated the housing of illegal immigrants without approval or authorization.
“Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants,” the agency <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/02/11/statement-dhs-spokesperson-termination-4-fema-employees-who-made-payments-luxury">said</a> in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people.”
The news comes after Elon Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musks-says-fema-spent-60m-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-luxury-hotels-last-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Monday that his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) team discovered that FEMA spent nearly $60 million to house illegal immigrants in exclusive NYC hotels.
“The [DOGE] team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants,” Musk posted on X early Monday morning. “Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order.”
“That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high end hotels for illegals! A clawback demand will be made today to recoup those funds,” Musk added.
In response, acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton said the payments had been suspended, and the employees who authorized them would be disciplined.
Trump, who has issued an executive order to reevaluate the role of FEMA, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113985962341531654" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for the agency to be abolished on Tuesday.
“FEMA spent tens of millions of dollars in Democrat areas, disobeying orders, but left the people of North Carolina high and dry,” he posted on Truth Social. “It is now under review and investigation. THE BIDEN RUN FEMA HAS BEEN A DISASTER. FEMA SHOULD BE TERMINATED! IT HAS BEEN SLOW AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE. INDIVIDUAL STATES SHOULD HANDLE STORMS, ETC., AS THEY COME. BIG SAVINGS, FAR MORE EFFICIENT!!!&#8221;

Migrants in Tompkins Square Park, New York City

Trump Fires Four Over ‘Luxury’ Hotel Payments For Illegal Migrants: ‘Deep State Activists’

Fired FEMA supervisor Marn&#8217;i Washington lied about her instructions in Florida for relief workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump,” according to a complaint filed by the Office of Special Counsel. 
The Office of Special Council filed a complaint against Washington on Tuesday, recommending that she face further disciplinary action over her guidance to skip the homes of Trump supporters in Lake Placid, Florida. The OSC found that the instructions, which were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported</a> on by The Daily Wire, were not based on any credible threats reported against FEMA workers as Washington claimed. 
“Washington’s instruction on October 22 to avoid homes with Trump 2024 campaign signage was not based upon any reported safety concerns from Crew 33 because, at that time, Crew 33 had not yet begun canvassing,” the OSC said in its complaint, filed to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. 
As a result of Washington’s guidance, workers skipped over 20 homes while responding to Hurricane Milton&#8217;s damage in Lake Placid. 
Washington faces two counts of violating the Hatch Act, including one count of engaging in political activity while on duty and one count of using one’s official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election. 
The special counsel&#8217;s findings undermine Washington’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fired-fema-employee-speaks-out-says-it-was-not-isolated-incident-colossal-event-of-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> that she issued the instructions because of threats from Trump supporters to FEMA workers. 
“There were no reports in Highlands County of safety concerns at properties with Trump 2024 campaign signs,” OSC attorney Eric Johnson wrote in the complaint. “No member of Crew 33 made a written report of any safety concerns at a property with Trump 2024 campaign signage.”
Additionally, Johnson said that none of Washington’s daily reports to FEMA noted any concerns about properties with Trump flags or signs. 
The complaint sheds light on other aspects of the incident, confirming that the guidance was repeated multiple times from October 22 until October 26. Five different relief workers noted that they were unable to stop by a home due to a Trump sign from October 22-27.
Crew members reported the instructions as early as October 24, but FEMA did not contact Washington until October 29, according to the complaint. Johnson said that Washington “denied” issuing the guidance, saying that they only skipped properties that had signs saying people would shoot on sight. 
“My team has registered Trump supporters however, we’ve avoided the Trump supporters that have signage stating they’ll shoot us onsite [sic],” she wrote in an email, according to the complaint. 
Washington was demobilized around November 7 and fired on November 9, one day after The Daily Wire broke the story featuring whistleblower testimony.

FEMA Headquarters in Washington

FEMA Supervisor Lied About Threats To Get Workers To Skip Trump Homes, Special Counsel Finds

Discrimination

Actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/patricia-heaton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patricia Heaton</a> slammed FEMA and former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for leaving <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina">North Carolina</a> residents — who lost homes in Hurricane Helene — in tents when the agency reportedly had enough money to house &#8220;illegal migrants&#8221; in “luxury” hotels in New York City just last week.
In a post on Monday on <a href="https://x.com/PatriciaHeaton/status/1888969816876187725">X</a>, the 66-year-old actress reacted to a post from <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1888891512303263815">Elon Musk</a> about how his “[Department of Government Efficiency] DOGE team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants … That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high end hotels for illegals!”
“So those poor folks in North Carolina who were told by Mayorkas there wasn’t enough money to help them had to sleep in tents all this time,” Heaton wrote. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
So those poor folks in North Carolina who were told by Mayorkas there wasn’t enough money to help them had to sleep in tents all this time… <a href="https://t.co/4ToNxfhcvT">https://t.co/4ToNxfhcvT</a>
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatriciaHeaton/status/1888969816876187725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
In October, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mayorkas-claim-that-fema-was-tremendously-prepared-haunts-biden-harris-admin-after-hurricane">Mayorkas</a> claimed to reporters that FEMA was running out of money and did not have the resources to make it to the end of the season.
Last month, under former President Joe Biden’s administration, dozens of victims from the hurricane were kicked out of the hotels they were staying in as their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fema">FEMA</a>-sponsored vouchers expired, according to North Carolina’s Republican senators, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dozens-of-north-carolina-hurricane-victims-lose-fema-sponsored-housing-senators-say">reported</a>.
North Carolina Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis both posted on X that they had heard from dozens of constituents in western North Carolina that they had nowhere to go after their temporary FEMA housing assistance expired. 
FEMA responded by saying that it had expanded its housing program for those who had lost their homes in Helene until the end of March 2025.
“My office is hearing from dozens in WNC who have been kicked out of their hotels tonight, despite FEMA’s announcement yesterday that they were extending Transitional Sheltering Assistance through January 25,” Budd posted. “This is unacceptable. This needs to be fixed TONIGHT.”
Tillis reported a similar situation, saying that many kicked out of the hotels had nowhere to go with below freezing temperatures in the area.
Speaking to The Daily Wire, FEMA said that since September 2024, the agency had housed nearly 13,000 families displaced by devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. 
A spokesman said that its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program was still in place, including in western North Carolina, and had been extended until the end of March 2025.
The agency said that “hotel stays” on Tuesday ended for survivors who now had a habitable home due to inspection or for people who did not have “not have eligible damages to a home or rental unit caused by Tropical Storm Helene.”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/patricia-heaton-blows-up-on-la-mayor-as-fires-rage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patricia Heaton Blows Up On LA Mayor As Fires Rage</a>

Patricia Heaton-2

Patricia Heaton Slams FEMA For Leaving North Carolina In Tents, Putting Illegals In Ritzy Hotels

Celebrities

Entertainment

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North Carolina

Elon Musk said Monday that his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) team discovered that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fema" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FEMA</a> spent nearly $60 million to house illegal immigrants in &#8220;luxury&#8221; New York City hotels last week. 
In response, acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton said the payments had been suspended, and the employees who authorized them would be disciplined. 
“The [DOGE] team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants,” Musk posted on X early Monday morning. “Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order.”
“That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high end hotels for illegals! A clawback demand will be made today to recoup those funds,” Musk added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants.
Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order.
That money is meant for American disaster relief…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1888891512303263815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Musk’s announcement came after DOGE reportedly started looking into FEMA over the weekend. On Sunday, Musk posted on his social media platform that the agency “is broken.” 
Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, was appointed by President Donald Trump last month to run FEMA as acting chief. 
“I want to thank the [DOGE] team for making me aware of this. Effective yesterday these payments have all been suspended from FEMA. Personnel will be held accountable,” Hamilton said. 
He also said that Congress should not have passed legislation in 2023 and 2024 authorizing the agency to facilitate housing programs for illegal immigrants. Hamilton was referring to FEMA administering the shelter and services program for illegal immigrants, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whistleblowers-accuse-fema-of-misappropriating-funds-leaving-first-responders-without-orders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has cost</a> more than $1.4 billion since the fall of 2022. 
While on the campaign trail, President Trump was sharply critical of the illegal immigrant housing programs administered by FEMA. He said that hurricane victims were being mistreated while illegal immigrants received free housing. 
On January 24, he issued an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a> creating a council to assess the agency and its programs. 
“There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President,” the executive order said. “And it has lost mission focus, diverting limited staff and resources to support missions beyond its scope and authority, spending well over a billion dollars to welcome illegal aliens.”
In addition to Trump’s council, multiple ongoing investigations into FEMA were launched after The Daily Wire reported that a supervisor in Florida ordered relief workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump.”
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs">EXCLUSIVE: FEMA Official Ordered Relief Workers To Skip Houses With Trump Signs</a>

Musk Says FEMA Spent $60M Housing Illegal Immigrants In ‘Luxury Hotels’ Last Week

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