Sign in Subscribe
Floods

FEMA Cuts Funding for New Mexico's Disaster Recovery Efforts

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has cut $14 million from funding promised to New Mexico to deal with the fallout of the South Fork and Salt fires near Ruidoso, according to state officials. This reduction comes on top of cuts from another FEMA program, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which was abruptly ended in April. The AGs' updated complaint against the Trump administration claims FEMA has not made a single award to the BRIC program since April 2, despite Congress approving the funds. This move has significant implications for New Mexico's disaster-prone communities, which are already facing devastating post-fire flooding.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has cut $14 million from funding promised to New Mexico to deal with the fallout of the South Fork and Salt fires near Ruidoso.
  • This reduction is in addition to slightly more than $4 million in cuts from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which was abruptly ended in April.
  • FEMA has not made a single award to the BRIC program since April 2, despite Congress approving the funds, according to the AGs' updated complaint.
  • The funds were intended for wildfires and post-fire flooding mitigation efforts in New Mexico.
  • The $14 million funding cut is significant, as it means the state has that much less to spend on new projects across the state, according to a DHSEM spokesperson.
  • New Mexico is the only state of 21 in the lawsuit that mentions cuts to both BRIC and Hazard Mitigation programs.
  • The AGs' office wrote in the lawsuit that the $14 million funding was intended for wildfires and post-fire flooding, which is "exacerbated" by the $4 million BRIC cuts.

Statistics:

  • $14 million: the amount cut from FEMA funding promises to New Mexico.
  • $4 million: the amount cut from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
  • 21: the number of states in the lawsuit that mentions cuts to both BRIC and Hazard Mitigation programs, with New Mexico being the only one.
  • $31.5 million: the amount FEMA has provided to public entities like state and local governments to help recover from the disasters.
  • $8 million: the amount FEMA has provided to individuals and families.
  • $148 million: the estimated amount of funding that New Mexico received from the Hazard Mitigation program.

Sources:

  • [Source: Source New Mexico, "New Mexico is the only state of 21 in the lawsuit that mentions cuts to both BRIC and Hazard Mitigation programs," July 2025]
  • [Source: Source New Mexico, "Democratic AGs disclose FEMA failed to make grants for months to critical disaster program," September 2025]
  • [Source: FEMA website, "Hazard Mitigation Grant Program," accessed July 2025]
  • [Source: FEMA website, "Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program," accessed July 2025]
  • [Source: New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, emails and financial statements, July 2025]
  • [Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, "FEMA provides disaster recovery assistance to New Mexico," July 2025]

Read more