Former President Donald Trump has dismissed FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer, Mary Comans, along with three other employees, accusing them of authorizing excessive payments for migrant housing in New York City hotels. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the terminations on Tuesday, calling the employees “deep state activists.”
While DHS did not provide specific details on the alleged financial mismanagement, critics have long opposed FEMA’s involvement in funding migrant shelters. The dismissed officials were reportedly tied to a FEMA-run program that supports cities in housing newly arrived migrants. However, these funds originate from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, not FEMA’s disaster relief budget.
New York City has received tens of millions in federal grants for migrant shelters over the years. Reports indicate that despite a judge’s order to prevent funding freezes, a senior FEMA official had already instructed workers to halt grants. The firings come amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to cut down federal spending on migrant assistance, including a controversial new hiring rule that could lead to mass federal job cuts.