Newly released city communications, including emails and text messages obtained by KSAT through public records requests, reveal that Kerrville officials were largely unprepared for the devastating floods that hit the Hill Country on July 4.
Among the documents is a text exchange involving Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, in which he appears to mock U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Just hours before the July 5 press conference—where federal, state, and local officials provided updates on ongoing rescue efforts—a city employee texted Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, “Just saw you met Homeland Barbie. How is she?” The reply: “Basically Homeland Barbie,” followed by a string of laughter.
The nickname—and similar labels like “ICE Barbie”—have circulated online as satire targeting Kristi Noem since her appointment as Secretary of Homeland Security earlier this year. The text exchange has drawn scrutiny given the severity of the flood disaster and mounting criticism over the government’s handling of the response, Fox News reported.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) has been particularly outspoken, accusing the federal response of being politically motivated. While stopping short of blaming Noem for the flooding itself, Murphy alleged that the Trump administration undermined FEMA’s preparedness, claiming agency personnel were let go even as flood victims were calling for help.
In an interview on Fox News Sunday earlier this month, Noem defended the response, rejecting claims of delay. She said over 700 FEMA personnel were deployed within hours of a call with Texas officials, and noted that the Coast Guard was mobilized immediately following that conversation.
The devastating floods claimed at least 137 lives across Texas, with 108 fatalities reported in Kerr County alone. Among the victims were 27 campers and staff from Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls located in the town of Hunt, Fox noted.
