More than $900 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency grants and loans are awaiting approval under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s policy requiring her personal review of major expenditures, raising questions about disaster recovery timelines as communities across the country seek reimbursement for emergency response and rebuilding costs.

Department of Homeland Security policy requires Secretary Kristi Noem to personally review expenditures of $100,000 or more, according to an agency source who spoke to The Hill. The backlog is said to affect funding intended for disaster preparedness, debris removal, and long-term recovery projects nationwide.

The figure aligns with reporting from the Alt-FEMA Substack newsletter, which was allegedly authored anonymously by a FEMA employee. The stalled funds offer a clearer picture of how the review policy, which applies across DHS and not just FEMA, is affecting operations at the disaster response agency.

"Holding up that much money will be adversely affecting recovery in states across the country," said Michael Coen, who served as FEMA chief of staff during the Obama and Biden administrations. He said grants, subject to the review process, pay for projects such as repairing schools, roads, and bridges, and clearing debris after disasters.

A FEMA spokesperson did not confirm the $900 million backlog but said, "Since taking office, Secretary Noem has reviewed more than 5,000 contracts and reviews all contracts within 24 hours."

The spokesperson added that the review process has saved taxpayers $10.7 billion.

The policy has drawn criticism from current and former FEMA employees, including those who signed the Katrina Declaration, a letter arguing that the Trump administration’s approach is weakening disaster response.

The group said the review process "reduces FEMA’s authorities and capabilities to swiftly deliver our mission," citing delays of up to 72 hours during deadly Texas floods earlier this year.

The Trump administration has defended the policy as a safeguard against waste.

"It’s not extra red tape. It’s making sure everything is getting to my level, and that it’s immediately responded to," Noem told NBC News, describing the policy as a matter of "accountability."

Coen said prior administrations relied on audits rather than centralized approval.

"We would have KPMG come in and do financial audits; there was constant auditing being done," he said, adding that expenditures over $1 million previously triggered notifications to the Office of Management and Budget.

Pete Gaynor, who led FEMA during President Trump’s first term, questioned whether the policy is workable. "I’m not sure how you practically run … a department made up of almost 20 individual entities and micromanage their expenditures $100,000 at a time," he told The Hill.

A FEMA source said projects tied to flooding in Kerrville, Texas, including debris removal and bridge repairs, are among those affected. A Kerrville spokesperson said the city has not experienced issues. FEMA said it has approved thousands of assistance applications in central Texas, totaling more than $73 million.

The administration’s broader plans for FEMA remain unsettled. Trump and Noem have floated eliminating the agency, but have more recently emphasized reform.