In the wake of previous storms, and the fallout of natural disasters,  the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has come under fire for what some see as an overemphasis on migrant issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion were listed as the primary objectives of FEMA's 2022–2026 strategic plan, an umbrella document that agencies use to outline their priorities, as The Washington Examiner reported.

Promising to "Instill equity as a foundation of emergency management" is the plan's primary objective. Addressing climate resilience as a whole is its second stated goal.

Dereliction of Duty

The effectiveness and execution of FEMA's responsibilities have been called into question as the agency withdrew assistance from portions of North Carolina last weekend.

According to the agency, this was in response to alleged threats against FEMA employees helping with aftermath recovery operations from Hurricane Helene.

The action comes on the heels of widespread accusations and photographic evidence that FEMA is not only withholding aide in some areas, but hindering private citizens from helping those in the communities hardest hit.

Local Officials

Last Sunday, Ashe County Emergency Management made the announcement that two towns would not be accepting applications from FEMA members.

County officials added, “It is our understanding that all FEMA reps in NC were stood down due to threats occurring in some counties,” noting, “We have not received any official correspondence on this issue from FEMA.”

North Carolina's "mountain region" FEMA personnel were threatened, according to a statement released Sunday by Ashe County Sheriff Phil Howell.

As a result, FEMA halted aid operations at other sites and took precautions, including a temporary reduction in staff.

What is FEMA Focused On

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA, announced the allocation of $300 million in direct funding to support communities providing services to migrants in a press release from April of this year.

This money comes from the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which Congress set aside to help towns that take in migrants while they wait for their immigration cases to be resolved.

55 grantees will each get $275 million from DHS, FEMA, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to cover costs associated with temporary housing and related expenses.

The remaining $25 million will be given later this year based on operational needs.

Alignment with Biden's Goals

Funding programs like these are in line with FEMA's larger goal of promoting fairness by helping underprivileged and vulnerable areas get the help they need more easily, as stated on their website,

These initiatives are in line with President Biden's January 2021 Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, which mandates that federal agencies evaluate equity in relation to a range of factors such as geographic location, income level, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, and race.