STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Cuts in federal funding allocated to counterterrorism measures in New York have been temporarily halted by court orders.
The funding, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its Homeland Security Grant Program, goes toward law enforcement efforts ranging from intelligence operations to mass gathering security, to equipment purchases, as noted in a press release by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.
Ultimately, Hochul blamed President Donald Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem for the approximately $187 million cut in funding.
“A Republican administration literally defunding the police is the height of hypocrisy — and walking away from the fight against terrorism in the number one terrorist target in America is utterly shocking,” Hochul said on Monday. “Any New York House Republican who doesn’t immediately act to get this funding restored is complicit in making their constituents less safe.”
On Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with 11 other attorneys general obtained a court order freezing the federal government’s effort to limit the funding.
Ultimately, it was the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island that issued the court order on Tuesday temporarily blocking the White House from stripping millions in funding to New York.
“This is an important win for New Yorkers and for every state that relies on these critical funds to stop dangerous threats,” said James. “The federal government cannot play politics with the safety of our communities and the hardworking law enforcement officers who protect them every day. I will continue fighting to ensure New York gets the resources we need to keep our state safe.”
The order came after the coalition of attorneys general sued the Department of Homeland Security on Monday arguing that the reallocation of these funds violated the law authorizing Homeland Security Grant Program as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.
On Wednesday, Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan stopped the government from revoking nearly $34 million in MTA counterterrorism grants to New York, according to the New York Post. This followed the $187 million in funding ordered to remain in place by the previous court order.
Following what Hochul’s office said was “an extended delay” the Department of Homeland Security issued the 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Homeland Security Grant Program, allowing states to access the funding. Despite being what Hochul’s office noted as “the nation’s number one terrorist target” the allocated funds were slashed by 40% ($87 million). Then, according to Hochul’s release, “without notice nor explanation,” an additional $102.7 million was cut when the Department of Homeland Security issued the allocations on Saturday.
As noted by Hochul’s office, the cuts, which were contained within the State Homeland Security Program and Urban Areas Security Initiative portions of the Homeland Security Grant Program, would have resulted in a projected $100 million cut to the NYPD. Hochul claims this would have deeply impacted intelligence analysts and the NYPD’s counterterrorism unit.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch denounced the proposed cuts on Wednesday during a media briefing on New York City crime statistics, stating as follows:
“The federal government’s decision to slash counter-terrorism funding for the NYPD from $90 million down to nearly $10 million is a betrayal of this city.”
“Counter-terrorism funding cannot be a political issue,” she added. “It cannot rise and fall based on partisan whims. To strip this funding away from the number one terrorist target in the world is a profound mistake. The cold, hard truth is that since 9/11, New York City has faced more than 70 terrorism plots and ideologically driven acts of violence. And with the support of these critical resources, the women and men of the NYPD have kept our city safe.”
The funding cuts would have also stripped the FDNY from a projected $15 million and Joint Task Force Empire Shield from a projected $13 million, according to Hochul’s office.
In the wake of the court order out of Rhode Island, the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA condemned U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy for halting the reallocation of the total $233 million in Homeland Security Grant Program funds. In a press release, the Department of Homeland Security slammed the judge’s decision as “unprecedented judicial overreach.”
“For too long, FEMA’s outdated programs treated taxpayer money like a free-for-all,”Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS has been relentless in its efforts to eliminate waste and ensure every dollar strengthens our communities. This judicial sabotage threatens the safety of our states, counties, towns, and weakens the entire nation. We will fight to restore these critical reforms and protect American lives.”