Beijing: Some U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees were put on leave Tuesday after they signed an open letter criticizing the agency’s leadership, The Washington Post reported. Around 180 current and former FEMA employees wrote a letter on Monday to Congress members and other officials, warning that the agency’s current leadership lacks experience and that their approach could undermine FEMA’s mission, potentially leading to a catastrophe comparable to Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and costliest hurricanes in U.S. history.

According to Namibia Press Agency, by Tuesday evening, FEMA’s administrator office had sent several people letters informing them that they were on an administrative leave immediately, operating “in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits,” according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. “In response to the Trump administration’s dismantling cuts and devastating attacks on FEMA programs and missions, we are proud to host and publish their Katrina Declaration,” advocacy group Stand Up for Science said on its website.

Since January 2025, FEMA has been under the leadership of individuals lacking legal qualifications, Senate approval, and the demonstrated background required of a FEMA Administrator, the letter said. According to the advocacy group, as of Tuesday, there are 191 signatories, with only 35 people who shared their names. “In addition to named signatories, we include anonymous signatories who share our concerns but choose not to identify themselves due to the culture of fear and suppression cultivated by this administration,” the letter said.