Judge blocks election conditions on counterterrorism grants

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from conditioning counterterrorism grants for state and local governments on election-administration requirements, ruling that the Federal Emergency Management Agency lacked authority to impose the conditions. The decision prevents the administration from enforcing them through the grants while litigation proceeds. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, in Washington, ruled Monday, September 28, in a lawsuit brought by local governments in Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. He concluded that Congress had not authorized FEMA to attach the election requirements to the security funding and that the conditions were not sufficiently connected to the grants’ counterterrorism purpose. The dispute concerns funding notices for fiscal year 2026 under FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program. The administration’s notice said 20% of certain grants would be withheld until participating jurisdictions adopted the election-related measures. The program provides funding to state and local governments for preparing for terrorist attacks and other security threats.