Special Report: Review Regarding DHS OIG's Retraction of Thirteen Reports Evaluating FEMA's Initial Response to Disasters

The thirteen reports that DHS OIG retracted and removed from its website were not compliant with applicable standards. The deficiencies in the retracted reports were a result of several key changes to DHS OIG’s approach to oversight work that were poorly communicated and managed by senior leaders, a flawed report model and internal control failures, including the areas of audit planning, supervision, and independent referencing. This combination of factors led DHS OIG to publish thirteen reports concluding that FEMA’s initial response to certain declared disasters was efficient and/or effective despite lacing sufficient and appropriate evidence to support that conclusion. DHS OIG concurred with the five recommendations made.