From WashPost: Assigning FEMA staff to immigration enforcement hurt disaster work, House report says
“The findings by a group of House Democrats show how FEMA staffers were put to work in immigration enforcement and administrative roles, among others, straining the agency’s disaster response ability.”
From: HSNW: Sea-Level Rise Has Increased Frequency of Extreme Coastal Flooding Worldwide
“Human-caused sea-level rise has significantly increased the frequency of extreme coastal flooding worldwide. New research found that coastal flooding events expected only once every 100 years are now, on average, about 12 times more likely to occur.”
From KATU2: City of Salem sues DHS, FEMA over DEI conditions tied to disaster relief funding
“The City of Salem has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), arguing the Trump administration is unlawfully attaching political conditions to disaster relief grants.
The lawsuit was filed June 30 in the U.S. District Court in Eugene. The city declined further comment on the pending litigation.
According to the 71-page complaint, the city of Salem argues DHS and FEMA grant requirements go beyond what Congress authorized by tying disaster funding to policies involving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), immigration enforcement, gender identity, and compliance with executive orders unrelated to disaster recovery.”
The impact and number of people affected are staggering. Also extraordinary are the nation’s lack of seismic safety construction standards and inept response and recovery personnel and procedures.
From NPR on July 1: Untold casualties and humanitarian needs: What to know a week from Venezuela’s quakes. https://www.npr.org/2026/07/01/nx-s1-5877369/venezuela-earthquakes-updates
https://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/topics/continuity-recovery
As global warming relentlessly continues to push temperatures upward, cities across Europe rehearsing what it might be like to live in the future when temperatures are projected to hit 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Those strategies are now being put to one of their biggest tests.
From CNN: FEMA official who claimed he teleported to Waffle House ousted from agency, sources say. https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/25/politics/fema-official-gregg-phillips-ousted-agency
A top FEMA official who had drawn scrutiny for bizarre past remarks — including claiming he teleported to a Waffle House — has been pushed out of the agency, four sources tell CNN.
White House officials appointed Gregg Phillips in December to lead FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, one of the agency’s most consequential leadership roles, despite his history of promoting election conspiracy theories, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 election. He came under national scrutiny in March after CNN reported on a cache of outlandish comments from his appearances on right-wing podcasts, including the teleportation claim.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, confirmed Thursday that Phillips is leaving the agency, saying he is taking leave for personal reasons. But sources tell CNN the departure was not voluntary: New DHS leadership had grown weary of the embarrassment surrounding Phillips’ public image and of his periodic clashes with the department’s other leaders.
From Homeland Security Today: DOT Announces $1.9B to Repair State Roads and Bridges Damaged by Natural Disasters
https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/transportation/dot-announces-1-9b-to-repair-state-roads-and-bridges-damaged-by-natural-disasters/
“U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced $1.86 billion in emergency relief funding to help states accelerate critical repairs to roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure damaged by recent natural disasters and catastrophic events. The funding includes more than $908 million to repair damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
This investment brings the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) total infrastructure commitment for Hurricane Helene damage to $3.4 billion across all impacted states, with $2.9 billion to North Carolina alone.
As hurricane season begins, we’re reminded that when disaster strikes, its essential leaders mobilize quickly to help American families in need,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Our roads and bridges are essential infrastructure that keep our local economies moving. That’s why the Trump Administration is getting these critical dollars out the door so communities can rebuild their transportation networks immediately.”
From HSToday: FEMA Announces More than $420M in Federal Funds to Support Emergency Management Across U.S.
“FEMA has announced more than $420 million in two funding opportunities to empower state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies to strengthen their emergency response capabilities and their resilience to potential catastrophic incidents.
FEMA is disbursing this money through two separate grant programs. Through the Emergency Management Performance Grant program, FEMA is providing $337 million to state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial governments to invest in training and equipment for emergency response personnel. Through the Emergency Operations Center Grant program, FEMA is providing $83 million to enhance state emergency operations centers, which serve as centralized hubs to coordinate information, resources and decision making during a crisis. Both of these programs are focused on building and strengthening emergency preparedness and response capabilities at the state and local level, helping ensure Americans are protected in times of greatest need.”
SabotagingOurSafety: Trump’s FEMA Overhaul Would Scrap $180 Billion Disaster Recovery Program and Replace It With a Formula That Cannot Account for What Recovery Actually Costs. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVZLmsXHJScXLTfHccTFmLbg
“Sabotaging Our Safety (SOS) today launched a series examining the Trump administration’s FEMA Review Council final report recommendation by recommendation — starting with the proposal that would have the most direct impact on communities trying to rebuild after a disaster: FEMA’s Public Assistance program. The Council’s report recommends replacing the program, which has delivered approximately $180 billion in disaster recovery grants to states and local governments, with a new parametric block grant system called RAPID.”
From Smart Cities Dive: Is FEMA ready for disaster season? https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/fema-ready-disaster-season/822507/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=CESource-20260611-newsletter
“While a new report warns of staffing shortages, leadership vacancies and strained federal-state relationships, the agency’s acting administrator says it’s prepared for hurricane and wildfire season.
Published June 10, 2026″