Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined with 11 other state attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s recent decision to reduce federal homeland security funding for certain states. The coalition seeks to prevent what it calls an unlawful reallocation of funds by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
According to the complaint, on Saturday—just days before the end of the federal fiscal year—DHS and FEMA significantly cut funding to states that have not agreed to divert law enforcement resources from core public safety services to assist with federal immigration enforcement. The funds were then redirected to other states.
Attorney General Platkin stated, “The Trump Administration is playing games with the safety of our residents by illegally slashing Homeland Security Grant Program funding to New Jersey by 50%. Until now, no administration has approached these grants – which protect New Jerseyans against terrorism, cyberattacks, and other critical safety issues – in a partisan manner. Now, after we stopped the Trump Administration from blocking all FEMA funding to New Jersey, they have decided to pivot and unlawfully reduce funding for homeland security preparedness. We are taking immediate legal action to fight this illegal and reckless cut and to fight for the safety of all New Jerseyans.”
Federal grant programs managed by DHS and FEMA were created after major national emergencies like September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. These grants support first responders’ salaries, training, mutual aid networks, disaster preparedness efforts such as cybersecurity testing, and more. Traditionally, these programs have been administered evenly across all states regardless of political considerations.
On Saturday, FEMA announced awards for its largest grant program—the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—which provides about $1 billion annually for state and municipal anti-terrorism efforts. States involved in today’s lawsuit received only $226 million—a reduction of $233 million or 51% compared with earlier indications from FEMA.
For New Jersey specifically, funding was reduced from $18.9 million last year to $9.8 million this year—almost a 50% decrease—with those funds redistributed elsewhere.
The coalition’s lawsuit argues that this reallocation violates both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. They are seeking a temporary restraining order against implementation of these changes.
The attorneys general from New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Rhode Island led the filing; those from Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington also joined.
