Federal authorities, specifically FEMA, are planning to dispense approximately $1 billion in security funding following a report by CNN regarding a proposal to drastically reduce it.
In a surprising turn of events, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that it will make nearly $1 billion in disaster preparedness and homeland security funding available to communities across the United States. This change comes after the agency initially considered eliminating several key grant programs as part of a broader plan to cut funding for emergency preparedness grants.
The initial plan, led by Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson and approved by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, aimed to reduce federal involvement in disaster preparedness, shifting responsibilities more to individual states. However, internal documents from FEMA warned that this move would weaken disaster readiness, increase vulnerability to terrorist attacks, and reduce the capacity to respond to wildfires and floods.
The proposed changes were part of a broader Trump administration policy that also included eliminating the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, freezing billions in disaster aid, and making FEMA funding contingent on immigration enforcement cooperation. These policy shifts led to widespread concern among states, counties, and emergency managers, and triggered legal challenges by 20 Democratic-led states suing FEMA for canceling a key disaster mitigation grant program that Congress had authorized and funded through 2026.
The sudden change in FEMA's decision to propose cutting these grants appears to have been influenced by public backlash, state lawsuits, and political scrutiny. The litigation argued that terminating programs without Congressional authorization and under an acting administrator was illegal, and pointed to real-world harm, such as communities losing funds that protected critical infrastructure from flooding.
Moreover, the damaging response to disasters like the July 2025 Central Texas floods, where FEMA’s preparedness and training cuts were evident, exposed the risks of these reductions and likely spurred reevaluation.
While the initial plan aimed to end programs such as the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), the largest of the programs previously at risk, this program has been preserved. FEMA is now taking applications for over a dozen grant programs, including the UASI, which provides more than $500 million to help major cities prepare for catastrophic emergencies.
Recipients of the grants will no longer be permitted to use federal funds for housing illegal immigrants at luxury hotels, funding climate change pet projects, or empowering radical organizations. Instead, the funds will enable states to manage their preparation for disasters like fires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, as well as incidents like terrorist attacks or massive cyber disruptions.
The funding release comes after a critical evaluation of grant programs to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute that the grant programs were on the chopping block last week, but has since denied a reversal in course by FEMA, claiming that CNN's report is based on a supposed leaked internal memo.
States can now apply for the grants, with FEMA having until the end of September to allocate the funds, which is the end of the fiscal year. It remains unclear why FEMA decided to release the funds this week after issuing internal memos last week stating that it was seeking to eliminate the programs.
The disaster relief agency is undergoing an overhaul at the hands of the Trump administration, seeking to shrink FEMA's footprint and shift more responsibility to states. However, the recent U-turn on disaster preparedness grants suggests a reconsideration or adjustment of these policies in response to public and legal pressure.
- Despite the Trump administration's initial plan to reduce federal involvement in disaster preparedness and potentially eliminate key grant programs, the recent U-turn by FEMA indicates a reconsideration of these policies, possibly in response to public and legal pressure.
- In a shift from the initial plan, FEMA is now taking applications for over a dozen grant programs, including the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), which will provide funding to help major cities prepare for catastrophic emergencies, and the use of these funds will no longer be permitted for housing illegal immigrants at luxury hotels, funding climate change pet projects, or empowering radical organizations.
