New York Attorney General Letitia James, together with a coalition of 22 other attorneys general, has filed a second motion for enforcement in their lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit challenges the administration's freeze on federal funding, which remains in place despite multiple court orders to release it. This freeze affects grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that are crucial for emergency preparedness and recovery programs across states.
Attorney General James expressed concern over the continued withholding of funds, stating, "The Trump administration’s reckless and illegal freeze on federal funding jeopardizes critical resources that help keep communities throughout New York and the nation safe." She emphasized the impact on law enforcement, healthcare, education funding, and programs aiding vulnerable populations.
The legal battle began when Attorney General James and her colleagues sued the administration on January 28. A temporary restraining order (TRO) was granted by the court on January 31 to halt the freeze. However, evidence suggests that funds remain inaccessible to states and grantees. On February 7, motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction were filed to stop the freeze until case resolution. The court approved these motions on February 8 but reports indicate non-compliance by the administration.
The frozen funds include significant FEMA grants essential for wildfire prevention response, cybersecurity measures, flood mitigation, and emergency management efforts. In New York alone, tens of millions allocated to disaster preparedness have been withheld.
The latest motion seeks a court mandate compelling fund release unless proof is provided by the Trump administration showing compliance with previous orders. This action is supported by attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon Vermont Washington Wisconsin and District of Columbia.