New York will get back hundreds of millions meant to protect communities after a federal judge ruled the funding cuts were illegal.
Attorney General Letitia James announced a court victory that forces the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to restore anti-terrorism and emergency response funding to New York and other states.
Court blocks funding reallocation
The ruling comes from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, which granted summary judgment in a lawsuit led by James and a coalition of 11 other attorneys general.
The court found that DHS unlawfully reallocated money from the Homeland Security Grant Program after states declined to use local resources to support mass deportation efforts.
As a result of the reallocation, New York lost more than $100 million, a 77 percent cut to its HSGP funding.
What the money supports
HSGP funds help states and local governments prepare for natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies.
In New York, the funding supports counter-terrorism efforts, security along the Canadian border, and protection of critical infrastructure such as power grids and water systems.
A key part of the program, the Urban Area Security Initiative, sends tens of millions of dollars each year to the NYPD and FDNY to train and plan for threats in high-risk areas of New York City.
Attorney general calls cuts political
“Law enforcement and local leaders throughout New York depend on these funds to keep New Yorkers safe,” James said. “The administration’s attempt to play politics with these resources was illegal and put our state at risk.”
She said the decision marks a major win for public safety and state authority.
Lawsuit filed in September
James and the coalition filed the lawsuit on September 29, arguing that DHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act by shifting grant funds without lawful justification.
The court’s decision orders DHS to restore the reallocated funding to all plaintiff states.
Broad coalition joined the case
The lawsuit included attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
State officials say the ruling ensures critical safety funding cannot be used as leverage in federal policy disputes.
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