New York just scored a major legal win that will help protect millions of riders across the state’s transit system.
A federal judge ruled this week that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must restore $33.9 million in counterterrorism funding owed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) — money the agency had abruptly cut earlier this year.
Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul led the lawsuit, arguing that DHS had illegally slashed the funding in retaliation for New York’s “sanctuary” policies protecting immigrant communities.
“This ruling is a victory for every New Yorker who rides our subways, buses, and commuter rails,” James and Hochul said in a joint statement. “We will always fight to ensure New York gets the resources we need to support law enforcement and keep people safe.”
What the case was about
In late September, DHS announced it would withhold New York’s full allocation from the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) — dropping it from over $33 million to zero. The funds typically help pay for security upgrades, training, and emergency preparedness across the MTA, one of the largest transit systems in the world.
The federal agency reportedly targeted New York over its immigrant protection policies — a move state officials called both unlawful and dangerous.
On September 30, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. This week, that court sided with the state and ordered DHS to release the full funding amount.
Keeping transit riders safe
The ruling means the MTA will now receive nearly $34 million in restored funding to bolster its anti-terrorism efforts — including surveillance, communication systems, and rapid-response coordination.
State leaders say the money is critical to keeping riders safe, especially in high-traffic areas like subways and commuter rail lines.
Once again, the court emphasized that federal agencies cannot use funding to pressure states over policy disagreements — especially when it impacts public safety.
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