Filed in Rhode Island, the lawsuit challenges the policies of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that the government is requiring states to change their election systems and assist DHS in immigration enforcement.
US government is sued by 24 states: "It will not go unpunished"
Filed in Rhode Island, the lawsuit challenges the policies of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that the government is requiring states to change their...
The conditions would also allow DHS to cancel funding at any time and for any reason.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha accused Donald Trump's administration of "once again threatening to endanger public safety by illegally withholding billions in essential funding," promising that "once again, it will not get away with it."
"This administration is using the safety of Americans as collateral, trying to coerce states into giving up their constitutional right to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents," Neronha said.
The states argue that imposing conditions on funding approved by Congress violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution's spending clause.
DHS has not commented on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is one of many against the Trump administration's efforts to coerce states, mostly run by Democrats, to adapt to its priorities — especially immigration enforcement measures — in order to access federal funds. The strategy has been used to finance education, combat domestic violence and even highways.
Courts have repeatedly found this strategy illegal and unconstitutional. A ruling last year prevented the administration from imposing conditions on other FEMA funding, and a second ruling this year prevented the administration from redirecting DHS funds from states that are not considered supportive of its agenda.
The latest lawsuit argues that the government is trying to apply some of the same conditions to the 2026 funding, in the same way it failed to do with last year's funding.
Among the demands contested in Thursday's lawsuit is changes to electoral systems by states. They must transition to paper voting systems, perform a manual audit of voting systems, audit voter registrations, and verify the citizenship of all registered voters in state voter databases.
If states do not meet the requirements, they risk losing at least 20% of their Homeland Security Grant Program funding. These funds are used to finance measures to protect citizens against cyberattacks and terrorism.
Since his defeat in the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has claimed, without evidence, that voting by mail is rife with fraud and has launched a federal investigation into that year's voting.
Repeated audits and investigations, including some led by Republicans, have found there was no widespread fraud in 2020, but Trump has said he intends to "take control" of election administration in areas governed by Democrats.
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Mundo
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