AFSCME Lawsuit Challenges FEMA Cuts Threatening Disaster Response

Concerns Rise Over Proposed FEMA Staffing Reductions

Amidst growing concerns about national disaster preparedness, the Trump administration's proposal to significantly reduce the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workforce has sparked controversy. According to AFSCME members involved in a lawsuit against these proposed cuts, the plan threatens to undermine America's disaster response capabilities, potentially endangering lives and delaying recovery efforts.

"The administration’s attacks on the workers who provide life-saving services during disasters are shameful and put lives across the country at risk," stated AFSCME President Lee Saunders. "When homes flood, hurricanes and tornadoes devastate communities, or wildfires burn through neighborhoods, FEMA employees show up to help families through the worst days of their lives. Dismantling this workforce will lead to slower response times and preventable loss of life, and further strain emergency response as state and local workers, including AFSCME members, lose this critical support."

In a legal complaint filed in a California federal court, AFSCME, alongside other unions, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, argues that the proposed staffing cuts disregard congressional intent to sufficiently fund FEMA. The coalition has requested an emergency court order to halt the reductions, with a hearing scheduled for March 3.

AFSCME members working in state and local emergency agencies express concerns that federal job cuts would impede their service capabilities. Essential grant programs face delays without adequate FEMA staffing, leading to financial strain and uncertainty at state and local levels. This, in turn, hampers disaster preparedness and recovery work.

Lilli Lessey, president of AFSCME Local 3241, which represents employees at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, emphasized the potential impacts of the cuts. "What is most concerning to me about the cuts to FEMA, however, is how it will impact our ability to carry out [the Oregon Department of Emergency Management's] mission that I and my fellow bargaining unit members care so much about," she said. Lessey’s declaration supports the motion to block the staffing reductions.

AFSCME members, along with other plaintiffs like AFGE, SEIU, and several city and county governments, are challenging these cuts as part of a broader lawsuit initiated in April 2025. This lawsuit contests the overall federal downsizing efforts undertaken by the administration without congressional approval.

The economic burden of recovering from natural disasters is substantial for victims and local governments alike. A diminished FEMA could exacerbate these challenges, slowing infrastructure restoration and public facility repairs. AFSCME members are resolved to advocate for the necessary resources and partnerships to ensure effective disaster response efforts.