TRENTON, N.J. — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin on Monday co-led a coalition of 12 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to reduce homeland security grant funding to certain states and reallocate it to others.
According to the coalition, on Saturday, four days before the end of the federal fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cut funding to states that do not divert law enforcement resources to assist in enforcing federal immigration law. The agencies then redistributed the funds.
The change came after a recent ruling in which a federal court issued a permanent injunction holding that DHS and FEMA violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by conditioning federal funds on state participation in immigration enforcement.
“The Trump Administration is playing games with the safety of our residents by illegally slashing Homeland Security Grant Program funding to New Jersey by 50%,” Platkin said. “Until now, no administration has approached these grants – which protect New Jerseyans against terrorism, cyberattacks, and other critical safety issues – in a partisan manner. Now, after we stopped the Trump Administration from blocking all FEMA funding to New Jersey, they have decided to pivot and unlawfully reduce funding for homeland security preparedness. We are taking immediate legal action to fight this illegal and reckless cut and to fight for the safety of all New Jerseyans.”
The Homeland Security Grant Program was established by Congress following national emergencies such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. It funds salaries and training for first responders, mutual aid networks, and preparedness efforts such as cybersecurity testing.
FEMA issued its 2025 award notifications on Saturday. States participating in the lawsuit received $226 million, a 51% reduction from the previously stated amount.
New Jersey’s funding was reduced from $18.9 million to $9.8 million.
The lawsuit argues the reallocation violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general are seeking a temporary restraining order to block the cuts.
The case is being led by the attorneys general of New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Rhode Island. The attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington also joined.
