Attorney General Raoul Wins Temporary Block On Politically Motivated Cuts To Critical Homeland Security Funding
Court halts DHS move to cut state security funds over immigration law enforcement.
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul secured a temporary restraining order from the United States District Court for Rhode Island to temporarily block the Trump administration from unlawfully reallocating federal homeland security funding away from states based on their compliance with the administration’s political agenda.
On Saturday, without any notice or explanation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) significantly cut funding from the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) to certain states that are unwilling to divert law enforcement resources away from core public safety services to assist in enforcing federal immigration law. DHS then attempted to redistribute the funds to other states. Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general yesterday in filing a lawsuit challenging the illegal cuts. Today, a judge ordered the administration to put the redistribution on hold and set the money aside while the case plays out in court.
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“I am pleased with the court’s decision to block this chaotic and illegal attempt to coerce states into compliance with the president’s political agenda,” Raoul said. “Congress approved this funding with the understanding that our nation is at its strongest when all Americans, everywhere, are protected from terrorism. I will continue to fight to keep Illinois residents safe.”
Congress appropriates approximately $1 billion in funds annually for state and municipal efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to acts of terrorism under the HSGP program. FEMA granted only $226 million to the states filing yesterday’s lawsuit. This would be a $233 million, or 51%, reduction from the total amount that FEMA had previously stated it would provide to these states. Some states saw even sharper cuts. Illinois would have received a 69% reduction in funds, totaling over $30 million.
Attorney General Raoul is leading the lawsuit with the attorneys general of New Jersey, California and Rhode Island. Joining them are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington.
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