Story perspectives

Judge Rules FEMA Staffing Cuts by 50% Unlawful

By Drooid · Sep 15, 2026, 11:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Judge Susan Illston ruled U.S. President Donald Trump's administration unlawfully ordered FEMA to cut its workforce by 50%.
The American Federation of Government Employees and federal employee unions filed the lawsuit challenging the staffing plan.
The Government Accountability Office reported FEMA lost 4,300 employees (17% of workforce) in fiscal 2025, reducing institutional knowledge.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the cuts, citing upgrades that let FEMA do more with fewer staff.

History

Historical Context

The five-day shutdown from November 14-19 1995, triggered when President Bill Clinton vetoed a Republican-backed spending bill, furloughed roughly 800,000 federal workers—about 12 % of FEMA staff. Polls blamed congressional Republicans, and the episode helped boost Clinton’s approval, contributing to his 1996 re-election and the 1997 balanced-budget agreement. The standoff, driven by Speaker Newt Gingrich’s demand for cuts, produced the longest peacetime shutdown until the 2018-19 impasse.

1 of 2

Story summary

Judge Susan Illston ruled U.S. President Donald Trump's administration unlawfully ordered FEMA to cut its workforce by 50%.
The American Federation of Government Employees and federal employee unions filed the lawsuit challenging the staffing plan.
The Government Accountability Office reported FEMA lost 4,300 employees (17% of workforce) in fiscal 2025, reducing institutional knowledge.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the cuts, citing upgrades that let FEMA do more with fewer staff.

1 / 2