DHS Shutdown Hampers Local Disaster Response, Expert Warns

Federal funding delays could impact emergency preparedness and recovery efforts across the U.S.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A public safety expert warned that the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security could have a critical impact on local disaster response, with grant funding impacted as extreme weather threatens communities. The shutdown has restricted FEMA support, delaying federal funds that "drastically impacts" the local response to disasters, according to the expert.

Why it matters

With extreme weather events on the rise across the U.S., the DHS shutdown could leave local emergency responders without crucial federal resources and funding needed to prepare for and recover from disasters. This raises concerns about public safety and the ability of communities to bounce back from major crises.

The details

The DHS shutdown has forced FEMA to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-torn areas, and grant systems are not fully operational until lawmakers reach a deal to fund the department. This "drastically impacts" the ability of local emergency managers, fire departments, and law enforcement to plan, coordinate, and execute effective disaster response and recovery efforts, according to the expert.

  • The Trump administration ordered FEMA to suspend the deployment of over 300 disaster responders during the DHS shutdown.
  • Recovery efforts are still ongoing in places like North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024.

The players

Jeffrey Halstead

The director of strategic accounts at Genasys, a communications hardware and software provider to help communities during disasters. Halstead is also a retired chief of police in Fort Worth, Texas, with over 30 years of law enforcement experience.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who argued that the shutdown is a "Democrat shutdown" and "has nothing to do with Republicans."

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What they’re saying

“The biggest impact is funding, the grants being distributed and then getting all that equipment and training aligned so that they can actually have a very successful year getting ready for a disaster.”

— Jeffrey Halstead, Director of Strategic Accounts, Genasys (Fox News)

“Should there be a traumatic weather event, critical incident or something that would require FEMA support, FEMA staff or FEMA resources, those may not be available. This drastically impacts the city, county, state and federal collaboration efforts that literally are immediately engaged, aligned and resources deployed, sometimes within 12 hours.”

— Jeffrey Halstead, Director of Strategic Accounts, Genasys (Fox News)

What’s next

It may be another two weeks at least until the DHS shutdown is resolved and federal funding for disaster response and recovery efforts is restored, according to the expert. However, there will still be significant backlogs to work through, which could take an extended period of time.

The takeaway

The DHS shutdown highlights the critical importance of federal funding and coordination for local emergency responders, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe. This disruption to the disaster response system could have serious consequences for public safety if lawmakers do not reach a deal to end the impasse.