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2h ago

DHS Shutdown Freezes World Cup Security Grants as Host Cities Warn of Cancellations

With roughly 100 days to kickoff, FEMA's failure to release $625 million in security grants plus $250 million for counter‑drone technology prompted urgent pleas at a House hearing.

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AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Mike Sena, president of the National Fusion Center Association, Joseph Mabin, deputy chief of the Kansas City, Missouri police, and Travis Nelson, director of the Maryland Governor's Office of Homeland Security, are sworn in before testifying at a Congressional House Committee hearing on homeland security on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • FEMA halted non‑disaster grants after Secretary Kristi Noem scaled operations to life‑saving work only during a partial Homeland Security shutdown.
  • Miami’s World Cup host committee said it needs roughly $70 million within about 30 days or it will begin canceling plans starting with Fan Fest events.
  • Kansas City’s deputy police chief called the grants critical, citing insufficient officers, the need for large mutual‑aid deployments, and a degraded security posture without the funds.
  • Officials warned of persistent coordination and technology gaps, with fusion center leaders citing siloed systems across federal and local agencies and risks of missed tips.
  • Lawmakers from both parties voiced concern over the stalled funding, as Republicans pointed to the shutdown’s impact on FEMA grant processing and warned money may not flow until government operations resume.