Harris County sues federal government over election grant conditions

Harris County, along with several other local governments, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The plaintiffs allege that the administration is attempting to use public safety grants as leverage to influence local election procedures.

According to court documents, FEMA intends to withhold 20 percent of state Homeland Security grant awards—totaling more than $200 million nationwide—unless local governments comply with specific conditions. These requirements include transitioning to hand-marked ballots, conducting manual audits of at least 5 percent of ballots, and using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system to verify the citizenship of voters and election workers.

The lawsuit, represented by the Public Rights Project, argues that these conditions would make elections more expensive, difficult to manage, and less reliable, while undermining local control over election administration.