A post shared to X claims that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will prevent Florida residents from returning to their homes.

INCOMING INTEL: FEMA is waving “ungodly” amounts of money at private security firms right now, begging for security contractors to station at Florida to PREVENT Floridians returning to their homes and businesses after the storm hits. The evacuation orders are to push people out…

— HealthRanger (@HealthRanger) October 8, 2024

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that FEMA is going to prevent Florida residents from getting back into their homes when evacuation orders are lifted.

Fact Check:

On Oct. 6, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the Sunshine State, which is about to be hit with its second Category 5 hurricane in the last two weeks, USA Today reported.

A post on X claims that FEMA is working to force Floridians out of their homes amid Hurricane Milton and prevent them from returning when it is safe to do so. The claim—citing only “incoming intel” without specifying any source for the information—says that “evacuation orders are to push people out of Florida and KEEP THEM OUT.”

“Delta Force personnel [are] advising FEMA at the top, devising denial-of-area enforcement plans which will be enforced at gunpoint if required,” the post continues. “I’m told FEMA is practically panicked to get enough armed personnel on site, anticipating a tremendous amount of resistance from displaced people who want to return home to salvage whatever they can.”

There is no evidence for this claim. No credible news outlets have reported that FEMA will prevent people from returning to their homes.  Furthermore, DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-214 on Oct. 5, which gives the State Coordinating Officer the authority to instruct all government and law enforcement agencies “to allow Floridians to return to their properties when it is reasonably safe to do so.” This order was updated the next day to expand the emergency declaration to 51 counties in the state.

Additionally, a FEMA rumor fact sheet states that the program “cannot seize your property or land,” further providing evidence that the post’s original claim is false. FEMA pointed Check Your Fact to this fact sheet after publication. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Is the U.S. Government Manipulating Storms in the Gulf of Mexico Using Technology?)

Hurricane Milton comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which devastated the Sunshine State and several others along the East Coast. According to CBS News, the up and coming hurricane could be the worst seen in the Tampa Bay area in decades and is expected to make landfall early Thursday morning. Contrary to the false claim urging people to “hold your ground,” the state of Florida warned residents on Tuesday Oct. 8 to evacuate before it is too late to relocate to safety, per NBC News.

Update 10/09/2024: This article has been updated to note FEMA pointed Check Your Fact to the fact sheet after publication.