Judge blocks DHS bid to reroute security grants
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island, a Trump appointee, ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration unlawfully moved to reallocate hundreds of millions of dollars in Homeland Security Grant Program funds away from Democratic-led states and D.C. over their refusal to assist federal immigration enforcement, ordering DHS to restore the grants. The decision, which New York Attorney General Letitia James called a major win for New York and 10 other plaintiff states plus D.C., holds that DHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act by tying counterterrorism and disaster-preparedness funding to cooperation with ICE, and sharply criticizes what McElroy called a "wanton abuse" of the department's grant authority; DHS says it will appeal.
đ Key Facts
- Judge Mary McElroy, a Trump appointee in Rhode Island, blocked DHS efforts to reallocate Homeland Security Grant Program funds away from certain states over immigration enforcement policies.
- The lawsuit was brought by D.C. and 11 Democratic-run states including New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
- McElroy found DHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act by conditioning security and disaster-preparedness grants on state and local cooperation with ICE, calling the move an unconscionable political use of funds and ordering restoration of the grants while DHS plans an appeal.
đ Relevant Data
In Fiscal Year 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is providing $1.008 billion through the Homeland Security Grant Program to enhance the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and other threats.
FY 2025 Homeland Security Grant Program Fact Sheet â PublicNow
As of June 2025, the U.S. immigrant population stands at 51.9 million, a 2.6% decline from 53.3 million in January 2025, marking the first decline since the 1960s.
Key findings about U.S. immigrants â Pew Research Center
Blue states like California and New York are projected to lose congressional seats due to population changes, with California losing four seats and New York losing two in the 2030 census, influenced by outmigration patterns.
Democrats' future crisis: The biggest states that back them are shrinking â PBS
Immigrants increase the supply of labor and spend their wages on homes, food, and other goods, which stimulates business creation and raises average wages of native-born workers.
The Effects of Immigration on the United States' Economy â Penn Wharton Budget Model
The average legal immigrant in the U.S. reduces the budget deficit and grows the economy, while the average unlawful immigrant expands the national deficit.
The Fiscal Impact of Immigration (2025 Update) â Manhattan Institute
Sanctuary policies are adopted by state and local governments to strengthen relations between local law enforcement and communities, limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to build trust.
What Is a Sanctuary City? â Vera Institute
Implementation of sanctuary policies increases local demand for mortgages among Hispanics by around 10.6%, driven by reduced fear of deportation.
Sanctuary policies and the mortgage market behavior: Reducing barriers to homeownership for undocumented immigrants â ScienceDirect