Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for refusing to release reports assessing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (“FEMA”) emergency response to Hurricane Maria’s deadly destruction in Puerto Rico.

The Administration has failed to release publicly these “after-action reports,” which are intended to provide a transparent and objective analysis of the federal government’s response and recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters.  In past instances, including following Hurricane Sandy, FEMA has used contractors to assist with the preparation of such reports, which are then released publicly as an official accounting of FEMA’s efforts.

In October 2017, Administration officials acknowledged an after-action report for Hurricane Maria was in development, but have since avoided questions on its release.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico, where it knocked out the island’s power grid and led to thousands of estimated deaths. Democracy Forward’s request seeks the undisclosed after-action report (or reports) and communications about it.