BOSTON, July 23, 2026 — More than two dozen U.S. states have sued the Trump administration over conditions attached to billions of dollars in federal disaster-preparedness and emergency-management funding.
The lawsuit challenges requirements that states cooperate with federal immigration-enforcement priorities and comply with election-related conditions to qualify for Department of Homeland Security and FEMA grants.
The participating states argue that the administration is attempting to use disaster funding to force compliance with unrelated federal policies. The federal government’s response to the allegations will be considered during the court proceedings.
The litigation does not immediately cancel the conditions or determine their legality. A judge will have to decide whether the administration has the statutory and constitutional authority to impose them.
Why it matters: The dispute could affect funding used for hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other emergencies while defining the federal government’s power over state grants.
