Ranking Members Thompson, Kennedy Statement on DHS Delaying and Slashing Counterterrorism Funding for Blue States and Cities

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Emergency Management and Technology Subcommittee, issued the following statement condemning the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to slash millions in counterterrorism, law enforcement, and disaster preparedness grant funding for blue states and cities after delaying them for months:

“The Trump administration is at it again: patting itself on the back after delaying critical grants to states and cities for months while denying hundreds of millions for blue states and cities out of spite. Apparently, this administration is so depraved they think it’s no big deal to play political games with counterterrorism, law enforcement, and disaster preparedness grant funding that helps keep millions of Americans safe – including in cities like New York, Ground Zero for the 9/11 Attacks. To be clear, this administration is retaliating against blue states and cities and is defunding their police. It is a reckless abuse of power that harms our national security and leaves our communities more at risk to attack.

“This is not the first time this administration has played games with homeland security grants and broken Federal law while doing so – we’ve been calling them out for doing so since January and put them on notice when they bungled the roll out for FY2025 preparedness grants this summer. GAO has also made determinations twice recently that DHS has illegally withheld millions that Congress appropriated for states and cities to provide emergency aid for people in need. DHS must release these funds immediately.

“We are also glad that states are suing the administration to get the funding they deserve and that Congress intended for them. We hope that the courts agree and DHS reverses course – but DHS shouldn't have to be forced to follow the law and do the right thing. The administration must stop weaponizing homeland security funding as leverage to try to impose its extreme agenda – it only makes our country weaker.”

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