Latino Families Need a FEMA That Works

With hurricane season 20 days away and disaster aid cuts on the table, Climate Power En Acción is calling on the Senate to press Cameron Hamilton to protect the communities FEMA was created to serve

WASHINGTON — A year after President Trump pushed Cameron Hamilton out of his role as FEMA’s acting administrator for refusing to support efforts to dismantle the agency, Trump is now nominating him to lead FEMA. The nomination comes weeks before hurricane season begins and as the administration continues to consider cuts to federal disaster aid. 

In response, Climate Power En Acción Executive Director Antonieta Cadiz issued the following statement:

“Cameron Hamilton has publicly acknowledged that eliminating FEMA is not in the best interest of the American people, and we agree. But keeping FEMA intact in name alone is not enough. The next administrator must be willing to fight for the resources our communities need. The current administration has systematically stripped away the very tools we rely on to survive disasters, leaving us dangerously exposed when we are most vulnerable.

“Our communities are the ones on the front lines of climate disasters, and we don’t have the luxury of waiting for Washington to get this right. Latino communities are more likely to live in flood-prone, disaster-vulnerable areas, less likely to have insurance coverage or savings to fall back on, and more likely to face language barriers that make navigating federal aid systems harder. We need a FEMA that is fully staffed, adequately funded, and led by someone with the experience to reach every community when disaster strikes, regardless of zip code.

“Hurricane season begins in 20 days. The Senate must demand answers: Will Mr. Hamilton stand up for the communities FEMA exists to serve, or will he implement an agenda that leaves them behind?”

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