US orders restrictions on new FEMA disaster deployments during DHS shutdown

By Ted Hesson and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-affected areas around the country while the Department of Homeland Security is shut down, internal messages reviewed by Reuters showed.

DHS, which FEMA is part of, entered a partial shutdown on Saturday, but has largely continued to operate since most of its functions are deemed essential. The shutdown happened after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms.

"DHS has issued a stop-travel order for all DHS funded travel, effecting 2/18/26, for the duration of the lapse in appropriation. Currently this DOES include disaster travel," according to an internal email sent by Kurt Weirich, a chief of staff at FEMA.

More than 300 FEMA disaster responders were preparing for upcoming assignments but were told to stand down, including some who are currently at a training facility, CNN reported earlier.

The freeze comes after Trump said on Monday the federal government will step in to protect the Potomac River following the collapse of a major sewer pipe in the Washington, D.C., region last month. A sewer line in Montgomery County, Maryland, collapsed on January 19, causing an overflow of more than 240 million gallons (909 million liters) of wastewater into the Potomac River.

Trump said FEMA, which has seen significant staff cuts since he took office in January 2025, will coordinate the response. So far, however, FEMA has deployed few, if any, resources to assist with the sewage spill, CNN reported, citing three agency officials.

A FEMA spokesperson told CNN restrictions on travel were "not a choice but are necessary to comply with federal law." The statement cited by CNN added that "FEMA travel related to active disasters is not cancelled."

FEMA's mission is to help people before, during and after disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods. It brings in emergency personnel, supplies and equipment to stricken areas.