WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Department of Homeland Security said that an internal investigation by it and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has found that throughout the Biden Administration, FEMA employees systematically refused to visit the houses of disaster survivors that displayed signs and flags they disagreed with, including those with campaign signs supporting President Donald Trump.
The Department of Homeland Security has referred the case to the Department of Justice for further investigation and potential prosecution.
DHS alleges that FEMA employees also collected information about the political beliefs of disaster survivors, using that information to delay critical assistance to survivors. This data collection was in direct violation of the Privacy Act of 1974.
'The federal government was withholding aid against Americans in crisis based on their political beliefs-this should horrify every American, regardless of political persuasion,' said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. 'For years, FEMA employees under the Biden Administration intentionally delayed much-needed aid to Americans suffering from natural disasters on purely political grounds. 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. We will not let this stand.'
Following Hurricane Milton in 2024, a whistleblower revealed that FEMA employees were directed to bypass homes displaying political signs supporting President Donald Trump. At the time, Biden's FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell insisted to Congress that this was an isolated incident. However, an internal investigation ordered by Secretary Noem has revealed that these abuses were widespread, systematic, and occurred during multiple disasters dating back to Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Secretary Noem has referred the case to the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General.
In the wake of the findings, Noem canceled the door-to-door survey practice that FEMA used to discriminate against Americans.
He has instructed the DHS Privacy Office to issue clear recommendations to FEMA to address these egregious violations and prevent future ones.
FEMA has been required to adhere to stricter data collection practices, strengthen guidance and training, and clearly define legitimate safety and hostility concerns to ensure staff make fair and lawful decisions.
Noem has instructed FEMA to also implement rigorous oversight and auditing mechanisms to restore integrity to its disaster relief operations.
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