New York Attorney General Letitia James, alongside a coalition of 22 attorneys general, is taking legal action against the Trump administration to compel the release of frozen Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. Despite multiple court orders, including a preliminary injunction on March 6, the administration has continued to withhold hundreds of millions in grants essential for emergency preparedness and recovery programs across states.
Attorney General James stated, “The Trump administration is putting lives at risk by continuing to freeze disaster relief and emergency preparedness funds to states.” She emphasized her commitment to fighting for the restoration of these critical resources. The withheld funds are vital for addressing issues such as wildfires, floods, and cybersecurity threats.
The funding freeze originated from actions like a January 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which illegally blocked trillions in federal funds meant for states and entities such as nonprofit organizations. This blockage affected access to Medicaid dollars and paused funding for nonprofits aiding homeless veterans in New York City.
The freeze has particularly impacted FEMA funds crucial for public safety and disaster response nationwide. In New York alone, tens of millions allocated to support disaster preparedness have been stalled. The motion filed by Attorney General James aims to enforce the preliminary injunction further, as continued withholding threatens relief efforts for over 4,000 survivors of the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Legal actions began on January 28 when Attorney General James sued over the fund freeze. A temporary restraining order was granted on January 31. Following this, motions for enforcement were filed on February 7 and February 28. On March 6, a preliminary injunction was secured requiring evidence of fund release by March 14; however, compliance remains unfulfilled.
This initiative is spearheaded by Attorney General James with support from attorneys general in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and others including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon Vermont Washington Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.