FEMA is welcoming back 15 whistleblowers placed on leave during Kristi Noem's tenure
FEMA is reinstating at least 15 employees who were placed on administrative leave after signing a public letter criticizing former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's policies. The return of the whistleblowers signals a shift under new DHS leadership, which has moved away from Noem's stricter oversight measures. The decision comes ahead of the 2026 hurricane season and has been welcomed by lawmakers who had previously called for the employees' reinstatement.
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Politics NewsFEMA is welcoming back 15 whistleblowers placed on leave during Kristi Noem's tenureThe decision to allow the employees to return to work marks the latest sign of the new DHS leadership breaking from the more aggressive policies pushed by Noem.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00The Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, D.C.Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 30, 2026, 2:34 PM EDTBy Laura StricklerFEMA has welcomed back at least 15 whistleblowers who were placed on indefinite administrative leave in August after signing a public letter protesting moves by the since-ousted Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive…
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