Attorney General James Successfully Protects Critical Counterterrorism Funding

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured a final victory in her lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from unlawfully cutting critical public safety funding to New York and other states. Attorney General James and 11 other attorneys general sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on September 29 after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) abruptly cut funding from states that refused to support the administration’s mass deportation agenda. In December, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted Attorney General James’ motion for summary judgment, and today the Trump administration dropped its appeal, ending the case and preserving critical homeland security funding for New York.

“The Trump administration has finally abandoned its campaign to put New Yorkers in harm’s way by withholding critical counterterrorism and emergency preparedness funds,” said Attorney General James. “These funds help law enforcement protect our communities, prepare for emergencies, and defend essential infrastructure from threats. This is a major win for public safety, and I will always fight to ensure New York receives the resources we need to keep people safe.”

On September 27, without notice or explanation and just four days before the end of the federal fiscal year, DHS and FEMA significantly cut funding to states that were unwilling to divert law enforcement resources away from core public safety services to assist with federal immigration enforcement. FEMA then redistributed those funds to other states.

New York’s homeland security funding was cut by 79 percent, totaling more than $100 million. These funds support counterterrorism activities, border security measures along the Canadian border, and efforts to protect essential infrastructure, including power grids and water systems, throughout the state. The grant programs also direct tens of millions of dollars each year to the New York City Police Department and the New York City Fire Department for training and planning to protect high-risk areas of the city.

In December, the U.S. District Court ordered DHS to amend the Homeland Security Grant Program awards issued to the plaintiff states to reflect the funding levels it had previously committed to allocating before the last-minute cuts. After initially appealing that decision, DHS has now agreed to dismiss its appeal, ensuring that states will continue to receive full federal funding for these essential programs and bringing the litigation to a successful conclusion.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit were the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governor of Pennsylvania.