Former President Directed Return of Emergency Relief for Southern Regions
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy issued a ruling that halted the Trump‑era administration’s plan to cut Homeland Security and FEMA disaster‑aid dollars from states that declined to cooperate with certain immigration enforcement activities. The decision protects federal funding for programs designated to support local police and emergency responses.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by attorneys general from 12 states who argued that the proposed reallocation would substantially reduce grant amounts for sanctuary jurisdictions. The plaintiffs said state cuts threatened critical counterterrorism and emergency‑response programs.
The court found that DHS had linked funding amounts to states’ participation in federal immigration enforcement. Accordingly, the agency was ordered to restore the original 2025 allocations.
State cuts target Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. They will again receive the amounts within the $1 billion program that supports police, fire and disaster‑management agencies.
The ruling follows a separate federal decision that declared it unconstitutional for the government to require immigrant‑enforcement cooperation for FEMA disaster aid. DHS and FEMA were asked for comment.