FEMA Backlog Delays Nearly $10 Billion in U.S. Disaster Funds After Trump-Era DHS Review Policy
NPR reports that FEMA is sitting on nearly $10 billion in unpaid disaster aid and mitigation grants, leaving hundreds of U.S. communities waiting for reimbursements and stalled projects to prepare for wildfires, hurricanes and floods. The slowdown coincides with a June 2025 decision by then–DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to subject all grants over $100,000 to additional review by her office for 'waste, fraud, and abuse,' a move a Senate Democratic report says significantly choked off the flow of aid. Local officials in places like El Dorado and Shasta counties in California say wildfire‑hardening programs for hundreds of homes have been frozen for more than a year while FEMA fails to act on plans they spent years developing and pre-funding. Current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin revoked Noem’s review policy earlier this month, but most of the backlogged money has still not been released, and FEMA declined to explain the slowdown or confirm the total owed. The backlog is straining local budgets nationwide and, as climate‑driven disasters intensify, is feeding online anger and suspicion that anti‑fraud rhetoric is being used to quietly starve frontline communities of promised federal help.
📌 Key Facts
- Internal FEMA documents obtained by NPR show the agency owes almost $10 billion to states and communities for disaster recovery and mitigation.
- Then–DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in June 2025 ordered her office to review all grants over $100,000 for 'waste, fraud, and abuse,' including FEMA grants, a step a Senate Democratic report links to major funding delays.
- Current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin revoked Noem’s review policy in early April 2026, but most backlogged funds still have not been released.
- Wildfire‑resilience programs in California’s El Dorado and Shasta counties, designed to harden hundreds of homes, have been stalled for more than a year pending FEMA approvals.
- FEMA declined to answer NPR’s questions about why payments have slowed or confirm the total amount owed.
📊 Relevant Data
Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults in the United States face 10%, 27%, and 11% higher risks of exposure to climate events including wildfires compared to non-Hispanic White adults, based on data from 2016-2020.
Racial-Ethnic and Regional Disparities in Climate Event Exposure in the United States — MDPI
American Indian or Alaska Native people experience the highest PM2.5 concentrations from wildland fires at 1.1 μg/m³ (12.8% of total PM2.5), compared to other racial and ethnic groups, based on 2016-2020 data.
Wildland fire smoke adds to disproportionate PM2.5 exposure for American Indian and Alaska Native people — PMC (National Library of Medicine)
El Dorado County, California, has a population of approximately 191,185 as of 2020, with racial composition of 77.87% White, 5.45% Asian, 4.61% other races, 1.12% Native American, 0.97% Black or African American, and 0.16% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
El Dorado County, California Population 2026 — World Population Review
Shasta County, California, has a population of approximately 182,139 as of 2020, with racial composition of 78.24% White, 3.51% Asian, 3.42% other races, 2.58% Native American, 1.25% Black or African American, and 0.28% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Shasta County, California Population 2026 — World Population Review
Human-caused climate change was responsible for extending California's fire season by six to 46 days earlier between 1992 and 2020, based on a 2025 study.
Human-caused climate change is expanding California's fire seasons — UCLA Newsroom
The number of homes in California's dangerous wildland-urban interface areas has increased significantly since 1990, exposing more residents to fire danger.
How Much Progress Has California Made to Reduce Wildfire Risk Since the LA Fires? — The Breakthrough Institute
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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