Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accusing the Trump administration of withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster-preparedness and homeland security grants. The coalition, led by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and California's Rob Bonta, argues that new conditions imposed on these funds are an attempt to force states to adopt the administration's policies on elections and immigration.
Key Takeaways
Twenty-five states and D.C. sued FEMA and DHS over conditions on disaster grants tied to election and immigration policies.
- States accuse administration of politicizing funds
- Lawsuit claims $148M at risk for plaintiff states
- Funds support emergency management activities like first responder reimbursements
- Coalition includes AGs from 23 states plus governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds At Risk For Plaintiff States | 1 Difference | CBS News and Reuters report $148M at risk; The Guardian cites $740M total affected | ▼ |
| Number Of States Suing | Broad Agreement | 25 states plus D.C. | |
| Lead Plaintiffs | Broad Agreement | Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha, California AG Rob Bonta | |
| Emergency Management Activities Funded | Broad Agreement | First responders, bomb squads, cybersecurity, disaster response. |
Funds At Risk For Plaintiff States
▼CBS News and Reuters report $148M at risk; The Guardian cites $740M total affected
Number Of States Suing
Broad Agreement25 states plus D.C.
Lead Plaintiffs
Broad AgreementRhode Island AG Peter Neronha, California AG Rob Bonta
Emergency Management Activities Funded
Broad AgreementFirst responders, bomb squads, cybersecurity, disaster response.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The lawsuit challenges requirements that states verify voter citizenship through a federal database, transition to hand-marked paper ballots, conduct federally prescribed election audits, and cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The plaintiffs estimate that FEMA could withhold at least 20% of Homeland Security Grant Program awards — approximately $148 million from the plaintiff states — and potentially terminate entire awards for noncompliance.
According to CBS News, DHS funds typically support emergency-management activities such as reimbursing first responders, bomb squads, cybersecurity efforts, disaster response, and security at houses of worship. The lawsuit alleges that the administration is using these funds as leverage over policies largely unrelated to the programs' purposes.
The coalition includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro have also joined the suit.
The states contend that the conditions imposed by FEMA and DHS violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution's Spending Clause. They are asking a federal judge in Rhode Island to block these conditions, void them nationwide as applied to the plaintiffs, and require the agencies to issue funding documents.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.