The U.S. government directed over one hundred Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a U.S. House Committee report published on July 10, 2026. The assignments began in late summer 2025, with most staff drawn from FEMA’s human capital and security offices. According to the Washington Post and Federal News Network, most of the affected employees began returning to FEMA in January 2026, while a smaller group remained detailed to ICE until May 2026.
Lawmakers say the reassignments hampered FEMA’s disaster relief capacity at a difficult moment for the agency, which had already lost significant staff to deferred resignations and early retirements the year before. Additionally, the report states FEMA management pressured disaster relief staff to volunteer for assignments supporting both ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The timing drew scrutiny because the detailing coincided with a heavy disaster season, including deadly Texas flooding in July 2025, raising questions about whether the agency had the staffing it needed when it mattered most.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) barred disaster relief organizations from assisting or encouraging undocumented immigration in August 2025, and FEMA’s detailing of agents to ICE followed shortly after. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has also been asked to examine the impact of these staffing shifts on FEMA’s core mission.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical you get the right advice.