CNN
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A week after the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem issues an order that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should stop remittances to non-governmental organizations, which it characterized as supporting “illegal aliens.” I did.
However, the memo did not address the money flowing to states and local governments, and fostered disruption for agencies responsible for managing federal payments related to immigrant housing. FEMA representatives were instructed to continue these payments.
Four FEMA employees, including the Chief Financial Officer, were accused of being fired and evading the leadership by the Department of Homeland Security. And more than $80 million federal grants to New York City have been taken away from their nails to help evacuate immigrants.
The interior that led to the firing has not been reported in the details previously, but not only reflects the confusion of FEMA, but also between agency career staff and top political appointees of DHS. It reflects the level of tension that has evolved.
A Homeland Security spokesperson was fired after claiming that while payments for state and local government funding are permitted, money should not be handed over to non-governmental organizations serving immigrants. Officials claimed they deceived higher UPS. The program in question is expressly intended to help those who provide shelter and assistance to migrants.
A FEMA official who spoke to CNN said the guidance was not clear and the lump sum was sent directly to the New York City government.
The firing of four FEMA staff, especially the Chief Financial Officer Mary Commans, has shaken up agency staff, from high-ranking and file workers. FEMA sources describe Comans, a longtime civil servant who worked for the management of both parties as a “trustworthy” and “respected” civil servant. A FEMA official described Coman as a “scapegoat.”
The Trump administration and Elon Musk’s government efficiency is fixed in FEMA reform or exclusion, claiming it is ineffective and inefficient. Doge staff are in the FEMA office and meet with agency staff to review FEMA files.
“It’s nervous. They’re not looking for context. They’re not interested in anyone explaining how this works,” another FEMA official told CNN.
The payments in question stem from the Shelter and Services Program, an existing program managed by FEMA, in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, to help cities protect immigrants. This was the target of Republican attacks during the 2024 presidential election, and portrayed rage.
On January 28th, NOEM suspended subsidies to go to institutions to NGOs, which is linked to “in some way with immigration.” In a memo filed as part of an ongoing trial, NOEM specified that the component creating the exception must obtain written consent of the General Adviser or his Delegie.
Hold applies to shelters and service programs. According to the agency, Congress allocated $650 million to the program in 2024.
Two days later, Joseph Mazzarra, legal counsel for the Deputy DHS, said in response to a question about whether such grant funds could proceed, according to an email obtained by CNN, state and local government money was ” It should continue to flow,” he told DHS executives.
The program description provided in an email to Mazzara notes that it awards funding to state and local governments and NGOs to provide shelter and assistance to migrants .
“Everyone at FEMA thought it would take a break,” said one source who was familiar with the issue.
However, a few questions remained.
In a February 4 email reviewed by CNN, Homeland Security Officer Ryan Kore asked Mazzara whether it applies to NGOs only and in some way to immigration-related programs. Ta. above.
“This should be a general answer. The suspension doesn’t apply to financial support for states and local governments. Or would you like to see the program separately?” Kore wrote.
“That’s right. There’s no state or local people. It’s just an NGO. If the program goes both ways, and if there’s more guidance this morning, the NGO funds will be suspended/repaired,” replied Mazzara.
Multiple sources say there has already been a recurring confusion within the agency, prompting additional attempts to clarify which parts of the program have been frozen. Sources told CNN that FEMA officials had repeatedly asked for confirmation from the DHS before sending funds to New York City.
In response to a question from CNN, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused FEMA officials of being a celebrity and refused to say that the funds would ultimately be restricted to an organization that supports immigration. He insisted.
“A February 4 email from a representative advisor explicitly points out that if funds go to NGOs, they must suspend funds. And even the first emails are states and locals. They did not raise the issue of fundraising that was incurred by NGOs through the government,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
New York City has used the funds to pay for the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, which became the city’s intake center for immigration, asking for a federal rebate. We are paying NYC Health + Hospitals as a contractor to serve immigrants.
DHS officials claim the hotel has ties to the infamous Tren de Aragua gang.
“FEMA employees should have had much more knowledge on the matter than representative legal counsels and should have provided them all if they wanted to seek his advice,” McLaughlin added.
On February 6th, Doge officials met with FEMA officials to discuss the federal fund, which includes shelter and services programs. A source familiar with the meeting told CNN that DOGE officials have similarly confirmed that funding for state and local governments should proceed.
Doge had read-only access to the FEMA system at that time. However, over the weekend, Doge officials from the Treasury discovered FEMA payments, according to two sources.
In addition to trillions of other federal payments, FEMA money will be distributed through the Treasury’s ultra-sensitive payment processing system, which has been the subject of tension and debate during the first weeks of the Trump administration .
Treasury Doge officials flagged payment issues, prompting a surge in activities within the administration.
Musk accused FEMA of X for violating the law by sending federal funds to New York, and said his Doge team would request a refund.
The total $80 million in funds was collected by Monday evening.
“The legal counsel and Doge have worked closely with the US Treasury Department and the DHS Procurement Office to confirm that these funds have been completely deprived of their nails,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
Less than 24 hours later, the Comans, FEMA CFO, two program analysts and one grant expert were fired.
The event unfolded this week has paralyzed the agency. This calls for more changes and the court is working on mixed guidance to pressure the funding freeze, sources tell CNN.
“You don’t need a genius to understand that (Trump) wants to not process grant payments. The way to do that is to make them think that doing basic job functions will result in them being fired. ” One FEMA employee told CNN. “We’re all just frozen.”
In a recent court filing, Acting FEMA administrator Cameron Hamilton said the agency suspended funding for the Shelter and Services program over concerns about where the money is heading. .
“FEMA further asks New York City for information to investigate this issue further to ensure that federal funds are not being used for illegal activities. This funds are misuse of the above-mentioned illegal activities. We have suspended the funds quickly on this issue to protect that fund from the possibility of it,” he said in a court declaration.
Most FEMA grant payments are still out there, but agency officials will come after them to fund programs related to initiatives Trump has opposed, like the Trump administration’s Day I am increasingly concerned that I can do it.
“We are not given much guidance on what is acceptable or what is not,” a senior FEMA official told CNN. “What if you chase something related to climate change, or if it’s fair to do? Are you going to be fired tomorrow to issue grants to underprivileged communities?”
