FEMA Crew Illegally Skipped Homes With Trump Signs

A FEMA team's controversial decision during Hurricane Milton has been labeled illegal by a federal watchdog. The Homeland Security inspector general says a disaster-response team violated the law by skipping 11 houses in Florida that had signs backing then-candidate Donald Trump, reports the Washington Post. The crew leader had told staff to avoid the homes over safety worries amid 2024 election tensions. The agency later fired that leader and several others after workers complained.

The decision to skip the homes "eroded public trust in FEMA's ability to treat everyone impartially, offer unbiased and consistent assistance, and ensure equal access to resources and tools," says the watchdog's report, per the Washington Times. Investigators said the lapse exposed gaps in training and in the protocol for handling perceived threats. The review found no broader bias against Trump supporters but faulted FEMA for not giving disaster crews proper training. FEMA agreed with all recommendations and says it has put fixes in place.