WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Washington says the Bush administration must immediately resume payments to thousands of displaced Gulf Coast hurricane victims.
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon said the Federal Emergency Management Agency unconstitutionally began cutting off rental aid in February to some victims of hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the Washington Post reported.
"It is unfortunate, if not incredible, that FEMA and its counsel could not devise a sufficient notice system to spare these beleaguered evacuees the added burden of federal litigation to vindicate their constitutional rights," Leon wrote in a 19-page opinion.
Anti-poverty groups who brought the case on behalf of storm victims say FEMA has "whittled down rolls" by imposing obstacles to obtaining aid, the newspaper said.
Fewer than 34,000 of the more than 720,000 households that have received rental assistance remained eligible as of last month, FEMA said. The agency is providing trailers and mobile homes to an additional 108,000 families.
FEMA says it adopted tougher rules "to combat fraud," and claims the falling numbers show "victims have recovered and are moving on," the Post said.
