Attorney General Kwame Raoul, alongside 21 other attorneys general, has filed a motion for enforcement against the Trump administration. The coalition is challenging the administration's continued freeze on federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), despite multiple court orders to release these funds.
"Every state relies on federal funding to help rebuild communities and allow families to recover from the devastation caused by natural disasters," Raoul stated. He emphasized the importance of FEMA funds due to increasing natural disasters, asserting his commitment to opposing funding freezes that cause harm and uncertainty nationwide.
On January 28, Raoul and the coalition initiated a lawsuit against the administration regarding this issue. A temporary restraining order (TRO) was granted by the court on January 31, blocking the implementation of the freeze until further notice. Following this, motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction were filed on February 7 to halt the freeze and maintain necessary federal funding during ongoing legal proceedings. The first motion for enforcement was approved on February 8, ordering compliance with the TRO.
Despite these legal measures, Raoul reported that essential funding remains withheld by the administration. This withholding affects hundreds of millions in FEMA grants crucial for state programs addressing terrorism prevention, emergency response coordination, SWAT team support, bomb squad operations, and flood and wildfire risk mitigation. In Illinois alone, over $200 million in federal grants designated for disaster preparedness through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) remain inaccessible.
The second motion for enforcement seeks a court order compelling fund release unless evidence shows they have been unfrozen. This action was filed in U.S. District Court for Rhode Island with support from attorneys general representing Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York North Carolina Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington Wisconsin.