Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has firmly rejected a New York Times report that revealed FEMA’s failure to answer ‘nearly two-thirds’ of all distress calls from victims amid the catastrophic flooding in Central Texas. The calamity has tragically led to the death of at least 129 individuals, with 160 still unaccounted for.
‘I’m sorry, but this is simply untrue,’ Noem contested during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. ‘It’s disheartening that amidst such devastation and loss of life, there are attempts to politicize this event due to the rapid response we mounted.’
Nicknamed ‘ICE Barbie’ for her penchant for glamorizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities, Noem has been criticized for her theatrical publicity efforts, including inviting journalists to capture her interactions with detainees.
Expressing discontent with the reports suggesting a major failure in FEMA’s response, Noem blamed cost-cutting actions she had undertaken as the head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which led to the dismissal of ‘hundreds of call center contractors’ at FEMA. Her regulations stipulating her approval for contracts exceeding $100,000 contributed to delays in the dispatch of search and rescue teams as reported by CNN.
Regarding the damning claims, Noem challenged the sources within FEMA perpetuating these accusations to reveal their identities, condemning the ‘wrong and unjust’ practice of politicizing the crisis without transparency.
Insisting on the effectiveness of FEMA’s actions during the crisis, Noem stood by the agency’s response, attributing it to be ‘the best in many years, far superior to the past under Joe Biden.’ Despite backlash over FEMA’s preparedness flaws, Noem continued her offensive against the agency, advocating for a revamp and reorganization of its operations.
Stressing that FEMA alone isn’t equipped to handle all calamities, Noem emphasized the federal government’s capability to deploy varied resources in such circumstances.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for their input.
