Washington DC - President Donald Trump's administration has fired dozens of Federal Emergency Management Agency staffers as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem seeks to "eliminate" the agency.

According to CNN, roughly 50 staffers with FEMA's Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery were notified on New Year's Eve that they were being let go, with some receiving emails informing them their "services will no longer be needed" after their contracts expire in early January.

One stunned staffer said it was "Beyond cruel to be treated in such a way."

Sources claim the decision came from FEMA's new acting chief, Karen Evans, who was installed by DHS after the previous chief resigned.

The move is believed to be part of a broader effort led by Noem to shrink the agency, and more terminations are expected in the coming weeks.

Back in March, Noem unveiled a plan to "eliminate" FEMA in an effort to fulfill Trump's wishes, as he has claimed the agency is inefficient and rampant with fraud. She did not provide any details on how it would be done.

Members of the CORE team are typically the first on the ground during a disaster, as they assist survivors, manage crucial aid, and work with local officials.

A former senior FEMA official said the agency "can't do disaster response and recovery without CORE," adding, "The impact is states are on their own."