US President Donald Trump has said he wants to abolish the agency.
Published September 12, 2026
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration acted illegally by ordering cuts to federal agencies responsible for responding to the nation’s natural disasters.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in California said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), overstepped its authority by ordering personnel changes that stripped the agency of effective control over its employees.
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The ruling focuses on the thousands of FEMA temporary reservists who are called upon to assist communities after hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters.
Labor groups representing federal employees have filed suit to block the administration’s decision to stop renewing many of these contracts.
After Hurricane Katrina hit parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Congress strengthened FEMA’s independence. Federal law provides that DHS may not substantially or materially reduce the agency’s powers, responsibilities, or functions.
Illston, who was appointed by former US President Bill Clinton, said the Trump administration had failed to provide a “reasonable” explanation for the decision to limit FEMA’s ability to renew contracts. He also noted that FEMA is projecting the number of employees to be 11,383 next fiscal year (about half the previous level), but there is no clear basis for this number.
The controversy comes amid broader efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. President Trump has previously questioned the need for FEMA and suggested that states, rather than the federal government, should take more responsibility for disaster preparedness.
The ruling did not immediately order the government to reverse the cuts or impose penalties. Mr Illston said those issues would be considered in a separate decision expected next month.
