Overview
- The coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia filed the suit in federal court in Rhode Island on Thursday and asked a judge to block the conditions and force the agencies to issue funding documents.
- DHS and FEMA announced on July 10 that they would withhold 20% of Homeland Security Grant Program awards unless states submit plans for hand‑marked paper ballots, manual audits, voter‑ballot reconciliation, and checks against a federal SAVE citizenship database.
- Plaintiffs say the rules exceed agency authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution’s Spending Clause by tying congressionally appropriated public‑safety funds to policies unrelated to emergency preparedness.
- States warn that roughly $740 million in 2026 allocations to the plaintiffs could be affected, meaning at least $148 million might be withheld, which could reduce funding for cybersecurity, first responders, and disaster planning.
- Courts have blocked similar DHS and FEMA attempts in 2025 and early 2026, so the case will test current precedent and could determine whether executive agencies may impose politically linked conditions on federal grants ahead of the November midterms.