New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined 11 other state attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), challenging the agency’s recent decision to redirect critical funding away from states that have not supported the federal administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. The lawsuit aims to restore hundreds of millions of dollars originally allocated for law enforcement training, emergency preparedness, and counter-terrorism activities.
Attorney General James stated, “The federal government is putting our communities at risk in an attempt to illegally force states to support its attacks on immigrants. Our law enforcement and local leaders depend on these FEMA grants to prepare for emergencies and stop dangerous threats to public safety. I will keep fighting to protect New Yorkers, and I won’t allow this administration to play political games with critical resources that keep our communities safe.”
Earlier this year, Attorney General James and a coalition of 19 attorneys general filed a separate suit seeking to block new DHS conditions that tied emergency management funding to cooperation with immigration enforcement. On September 24, a court ruled those DHS actions unlawful and unconstitutional. Despite this ruling, DHS has proceeded with reallocating funds from the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) away from states like New York.
According to the New York Attorney General’s office, HSGP provides vital resources for states and local governments in preparing for natural disasters, terrorist threats, and other emergencies. New York has experienced a reduction exceeding $100 million—representing a 77 percent decrease—in its HSGP allocation. These funds are used for counter-terrorism efforts, border security along the Canadian border, and protection of infrastructure such as power grids and water systems across the state. Additionally, the Urban Area Security Initiatives (UASI) program directs tens of millions annually to both the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Fire Department (FDNY) for planning and training focused on high-risk areas.
The coalition contends that DHS’s reallocation of these funds violates both the law authorizing HSGP funding and the Administrative Procedure Act. They argue that no justification was provided by DHS for shifting hundreds of millions in funding just before the end of the federal fiscal year.
Joining Attorney General James in this legal action are her counterparts from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington State, and the District of Columbia.
