Louisiana Republican urges FEMA aid for ice storm recovery as DHS shutdown drags on

Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., is calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help north Louisiana recover from a recent ice storm, while the partial government shutdown limits the agency’s operations.

“What I tried to share with people was that it was like a hurricane in northern Louisiana. A hundred thousand people were without power, most of them for a week. Not only that, but people lost their lives as well,” Letlow told Fox News Digital.

“Hurricanes get a lot of attention in South Louisiana. People know this very well, but northern Louisiana just experienced a major ice storm. Louisiana is not known for its ice storms, so this is relatively new. »

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The Louisiana Capitol is seen April 4, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Stephen Smith/AP Newsroom)

Letlow believes the agency can help residents in his district clear fallen trees that have downed power lines, damaged homes and restricted mobility.

She said her own family was dealing with the fallout from the storm.

“In my parents’ backyard, they couldn’t even get out of their driveway for over a week trying to handle all these tree branches that had fallen down,” Letlow said.

His calls for help follow a letter from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry urging the Trump administration to declare a state of emergency.

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“I urge you to provide an expedited declaration in order to provide federal assistance to these heavily impacted communities. I anticipate that once we have the opportunity to fully assess the damage in the state, a number of additional parishes will require federal assistance to allow them to recover from the disaster,” Landry wrote.

Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., pictured next to a willow tree in Louisiana covered in snowfall. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which governs FEMA, was shut down last week when lawmakers on Capitol Hill stalled on legislation to fund the agency due to Democrats’ demands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Following two deadly clashes between immigration authorities and civilians in Minnesota, Democrats said they would not vote to defund DHS unless they got a list of 10 demands.

Among other items, they include banning masks for ICE agents, ending roving patrols, stricter warrant requirements and visible identification.

Negotiations on these requests are still ongoing.

Like other agencies, FEMA has been limited to operating only in situations where there is a risk to life, according to testimony by the agency’s Associate Administrator, Gregg Phillips, before Congress earlier this month.

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The United States Capitol in Washington, January 29, 2026. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

This creates an uncertain situation for states like Louisiana.

While most Louisianans are out of immediate danger following the storm, Letlow said local communities are still at risk of future danger if power, transportation and communications are not restored.

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“This gray area is very scary. You know, an area that we don’t know very well. We’re used to DHS being up and running,” Letlow said.

“This is why people pay taxes. They should be able to count on an agency like this. Their only goal is to step in and help communities recover. Hopefully Senate Democrats will come to their senses and end this terrible shutdown, so FEMA can get back to work and start helping our communities in need,” Letlow said.