Poder Latinx Responds to DHS Reassignment of FEMA Staff to ICE Amid Peak Hurricane Season

Washington, D.C. — In response to media reports that the Department of Homeland Security will temporarily reassign approximately 100 FEMA personnel to assist with a mass hiring effort at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Poder Latinx issued the following statement, attributed to Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director:

“This decision is as dangerous as it is irresponsible. We are in the peak of hurricane season, and Latino, Black, and low-income communities are the most vulnerable to climate disasters. We are already seeing climate disasters unfold in Texas, where it’s been proven that FEMA plays a key role in supporting communities impacted by these crises. Diverting critical FEMA staff from emergency preparedness and response to expand ICE’s deportation machine sends a chilling message: that immigrant communities are disposable in the eyes of this administration.

Let’s be clear: this is a political stunt that puts lives at risk. As communities across the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, and the Southeast brace for deadly storms, we need FEMA fully staffed and focused—not drained to support anti-immigrant policies. Our communities deserve protection and investment, not abandonment.”

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that FEMA’s human resources and security personnel will be detailed to ICE for 90 days to support the hiring of 10,000 new immigration enforcement officers, under a directive tied to the“One Big Beautiful Bill.” This move comes as FEMA is already facing heightened demand due to the escalating impacts of climate change nationwide.

Poder Latinx urges Congress and the Trump administration to immediately reverse this decision and reject any policy that sacrifices climate resilience and disaster response in favor of punitive immigration enforcement.

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