FEMA withholds antiterrorism funds from states over election compliance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will withhold 20% of certain terrorism‑preparedness grants from states unless they provide proof of compliance with election security measures promoted by the Trump administration. The required measures include switching to paper‑marked ballots, verifying citizenship, and conducting post‑election audits of at least 5% of ballots.

The policy would affect large states such as California, New York and Texas. New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the move, saying it endangers public safety, while election experts warned it could harm election security and cost states hundreds of millions of dollars. Previous attempts by the administration to withhold similar funding were blocked by federal judges as arbitrary and a violation of the law.