By Courtney Rozen and Jason Lange
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration plans to shift terrorism prevention funding from Democratic-led states toward those led by Republicans, government records show, as it overhauls a $1 billion program created after the 9/11 attacks.
Twelve Democratic-led states are suing to block the cuts, alleging that the Trump administration is trying to punish them for not cooperating with federal immigration agents.
The Trump administration released estimates in late summer for how much money each state should expect to receive from the program. But it later changed the totals, according to notices the states received in late September from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio, which Trump won in 2024, saw the biggest percentage increase among states, according to federal records reviewed by Reuters.
Democratic-party leaning Washington, D.C., Illinois and New Jersey saw particularly sharp decreases, with Washington’s total cut by 70%, Illinois by 69% and New Jersey by 49% compared to what the administration previously said they would receive. California also lost 31%.
ADMINISTRATION SAYS UNTRUE TO SUGGEST CHANGES ARE POLITICAL
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said in a statement that the new funding totals give “greater weight” to threats from transnational organized crime, defined as criminal organizations that operate across international borders. It also accounts for “illegal border crossings,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Congress created the program, called Homeland Security Grants, after the September 11, 2001, attacks to help states and cities prevent terrorism and other violent threats.
While the spending is only a fraction of the money states receive from the federal government each year, it’s the latest example of the Trump administration changing how routine funding is distributed to states the president lost in the 2024 election. In recent weeks, Trump also cut billions of dollars in funding for energy and infrastructure in Democratic states, including New York and California, carrying out his threat to target those states during the U.S. government shutdown.
“It is flatly untrue to suggest that these changes are arbitrary or politically motivated,” a DHS spokesperson said. “Adjustments in award amounts follow a methodical, risk-informed analysis with the goal of ensuring that every dollar spent yields the maximum benefit for the American people.”
But Trump has linked funding decisions to politics, saying last week in the context of the government shutdown, “We’re only cutting Democrat programs.”
A federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily blocked the Trump administration from distributing the money until the court case from 12 Democratic-led states plays out. The Trump administration on October 7 asked the judge to reconsider her order.
New York, one of the states that brought the lawsuit, initially faced a 77% cut in funding, but on October 3, Trump said he had reversed that. He did not elaborate on why. DHS declined to answer how the change would affect funding for other states.
CALIFORNIA WOULD LOSE $55 MILLION IF CUTS GO AHEAD
Since the 9/11 attacks, Congress created several grant programs to help states with terrorism prevention, including $266 million to secure ports, protect public transit systems and shield against cyberattacks. During Trump’s first term, Congress also set up a fund to protect nonprofits and houses of worship from terrorist attacks.
FEMA requires states with “high-risk urban areas,” defined as cities with a higher likelihood of a terrorist attack, to spend part of their Homeland Security Grant Program money on state-run facilities that gather, analyze and share crime information with the federal government.
Washington, D.C. used the funding in previous years to update its emergency communications equipment. New York used the money to cover its 12 certified bomb squads and pay intelligence analysts for New York City’s police department, Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement. Illinois planned to use this year’s funding to screen cargo traffic at O’Hare airport and stem the flow of illegal drugs, it said in a statement submitted to the court as part of the lawsuit brought by 12 Democratic-led states.
If the changes do go into effect, California would lose $55 million in funding. The state is slated to host Super Bowl LX and several FIFA World Cup matches next year. LA will host the Olympics in 2028.
Trump signed a bill in March that sets aside a separate $1.6 billion for security, planning and other costs related to the Games and World Cup.
Florida would see an 76% increase in its grant funds under the Trump administration’s changes.
A few states that voted against Trump in 2024 saw increases, including New Mexico, Colorado, Maryland and Oregon.
The law requires FEMA to distribute a portion of the funding to each state. FEMA must account for the threats and vulnerabilities facing each state and city when spending the rest, according to the law. The agency said in July it would require states to spend part of their allocation on helping the government arrest migrants. It gave states about two weeks to fill out detailed applications for the funding. In past years, state officials had months to fill out the forms.
(Reporting by Courtney Rozen and Jason Lange; editing by Chris Sanders and Claudia Parsons)
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