FEMA report reveals systematic political discrimination under the Biden Administration
A Department of Homeland Security investigation has uncovered that Federal Emergency Management Agency employees systematically avoided homes displaying political signs during disaster relief operations over at least four years, violating federal privacy laws and delaying assistance to Americans in crisis.
The 22-page report from DHS’s Privacy Office, released Tuesday, found that FEMA improperly collected and retained information about residents’ political beliefs dating back to Hurricane Ida in September 2021, contradicting earlier assurances from agency leadership that such behavior represented an isolated incident.
Widespread pattern of political targeting
The investigation documented 102 instances where FEMA canvassers recorded political information about disaster survivors between 2021 and 2024, with the practice escalating dramatically during election years. The report found that more than 80 percent of cases involved homes displaying pro-gun or Second Amendment messages, while approximately 15 percent involved pro-Trump signage.
“It is impermissible for canvassers to collect First Amendment-protected information, yet some canvassers seemed to equate certain political positions with hostile or unsafe situations,” the report concluded.
Political targeting increased significantly during election cycles, with three instances recorded in 2021, nine in 2023, but 22 in 2022—a congressional election year—and 68 instances in 2024 during the presidential election.
Privacy violations and delayed assistance
The Privacy Office determined that FEMA’s unauthorized collection and retention of political affiliation information violated the Privacy Act of 1974. In some cases documented by investigators, canvassers refused to make initial contact with homes displaying certain political messages, delaying assistance that residents were legally entitled to receive.
“FEMA’s actions not only violated legal privacy protections but also raise concerns about potential discrimination based on political beliefs,” the report stated.
While other FEMA personnel eventually visited the bypassed homes, the initial avoidance caused delays in providing critical disaster relief information and assistance.
Administration response and criminal referral
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the findings as evidence of “textbook political discrimination against Americans in crisis” and referred the matter to the Department of Justice to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
“For years, FEMA employees under the Biden administration intentionally delayed much-needed aid to Americans suffering from natural disasters on purely political grounds,” Noem said. “They deliberately avoided houses displaying support for President Trump and the Second Amendment, illegally collected and stored information about survivors’ political beliefs, and failed to report their malicious behavior”.
The DHS statement also raised questions about potential legal consequences for former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, suggesting her sworn congressional testimony may have been inaccurate.
Congressional testimony contradicted
In November 2024, Criswell testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that an incident involving a FEMA employee directing workers to avoid homes with Trump signs after Hurricane Milton was an isolated event.
“I do not believe this employee’s actions reflect a broader cultural issue within FEMA,” Criswell stated during her testimony, adding that she supported an independent investigation by the agency’s inspector general.
The newly released report directly contradicts those assurances, revealing that similar behavior occurred across multiple disasters over several years.
Congressional oversight intensifies
House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer called the report “explosive” and demanded comprehensive accountability beyond the limited personnel actions FEMA took earlier this year.
“This blatant political bias has no place in disaster relief—period,” the Kentucky Republican said, adding that “FEMA must hold every responsible party accountable for enabling a culture that allowed political discrimination to thrive under the Biden administration”.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over FEMA, is conducting ongoing oversight of the agency’s disaster response operations.
Origins in Hurricane Milton incident
The broader investigation was prompted by reports that emerged after Hurricane Milton in fall 2024, when a whistleblower revealed that a FEMA supervisor in Florida had directed disaster assistance teams to bypass homes with yard signs supporting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The supervisor allegedly communicated to approximately 11 subordinates that they should “stay away from homes promoting Trump”. According to whistleblower accounts, more than 20 homes in Lake Placid, Florida, were skipped because of Trump signs.
FEMA terminated the employee responsible for that directive, but the new report reveals the practice was far more widespread than a single supervisor’s actions.
Broader context of FEMA controversies
The political discrimination findings emerge amid broader turmoil at FEMA during the Trump administration’s second term. In August 2025, approximately 191 FEMA employees signed a dissent letter—known as “The FEMA Katrina Declaration”—protesting what they characterized as gross waste, mismanagement, and threats to public health and safety.
More than 30 employees who signed their names to the letter were placed on indefinite administrative leave the following day, prompting whistleblower complaints alleging illegal retaliation. Legal and whistleblower experts assert that DHS violated federal whistleblower protection laws with those actions.
In subsequent weeks, FEMA’s Office of Professional Responsibility interrogated employees who signed the letter, demanding they identify colleagues who endorsed it anonymously or risk termination. Investigators instructed employees not to bring legal counsel to the interviews.
Additionally, the Trump administration has significantly altered FEMA operations, suspending a $3.6 billion disaster resilience program, requiring states to provide updated population counts reflecting deportations before releasing emergency preparedness grants, and cutting the agency’s workforce.
Implications for disaster survivors
The Privacy Office report emphasizes that FEMA’s actions have significant implications for individuals impacted by disaster relief efforts, particularly in eroding public trust in the agency’s ability to provide impartial assistance.
“FEMA’s unauthorized collection and retention of political affiliation information erodes public trust in the agency’s ability to provide impartial and unbiased disaster relief,” the investigation concluded.
The report noted that bypassing homes and delaying assistance “could potentially worsen hardship, cause harm, or even result in loss of life for individuals in disaster-affected areas”.
Legal and policy reforms
Secretary Noem has ordered changes at FEMA to prevent future instances of political discrimination, though specific policy modifications have not been publicly detailed.
The investigation’s findings underscore ongoing concerns about ensuring that federal disaster assistance reaches all eligible Americans regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.