Attorney General Mayes, alongside a coalition of 22 attorneys general, is seeking a court order to compel the Trump administration to release essential funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Despite previous court orders, including a preliminary injunction on March 6, the administration continues to withhold substantial federal funds.
Attorney General Mayes and her colleagues have filed a motion to enforce the injunction, aiming for immediate compliance from the administration. "Donald Trump and his administration continue to ignore court orders and withhold critical emergency funding that our communities across the country desperately need," said Attorney General Mayes. She emphasized that this withholding jeopardizes public safety as wildfire season approaches.
The freeze on FEMA funds was part of a broader policy initiated by an Office of Management and Budget memorandum dated January 27. This policy has withheld trillions in federal funds affecting states, nonprofit organizations, and community health centers. The coalition argues that these actions threaten disaster relief efforts, particularly impacting over 4,000 survivors of the 2023 Maui wildfires.
The attorneys general initially sued over this freeze on January 28. A temporary restraining order was granted on January 31, followed by motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction filed on February 7. On February 28, they filed another motion specifically targeting the freezing of FEMA grants.
On March 6, they secured a preliminary injunction requiring evidence from the administration by March 14 that FEMA funds had been unfrozen. However, these funds remain withheld.
The effort is spearheaded by attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Other participating states include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico North Carolina Oregon Vermont Washington Wisconsin along with District Columbia.