FEMA announced it is undoing the staff reductions imposed under former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem. 14 workers who signed the “Katrina Declaration” protest letter have been reinstated, while a further 21 signatories remain separated. The move comes as the agency scrambles to staff up for the June hurricane season and the upcoming World Cup.

The cuts, executed in January, eliminated roughly 200 temporary staff roles when contracts expired, a departure from FEMA’s practice and the trigger for a union lawsuit alleging violation of statutory readiness requirements. New leadership under Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin is now reaching out to those dismissed, offering reemployment to stabilize the workforce before major events.

Court pressure adds urgency; Judge Susan Illston ordered FEMA to search former aide Joseph Guy’s cellphone and take depositions of Guy and contractor Kara Voorhies as part of an inspector‑general probe into Noem‑era contracting. Agency officials declined comment on how the reinstatements intersect with the litigation, but critics like Abby McIlraith warn that a hiring freeze and lack of a qualified administrator leave FEMA ill‑equipped for looming wildfire and hurricane threats.