Kris Mayes Joins Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over FEMA Funding

Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a coalition of 12 states in suing the Trump administration over more than $83 million in emergency preparedness funding that could be at risk for Arizona.

The lawsuit targets Secretary Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary David Richardson, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for attempting to change the terms of grants already promised to states for emergency management, disaster relief, and homeland security operations.

"The Trump administration is trying to claw back money we use to protect the border, including for protective equipment and vehicles for law enforcement on the ground, and to support emergency preparedness and terrorism response preparation," Mayes said. 

She added that the administration is also trying to withhold half of the funds Arizona uses to respond to emergencies.

Mayes' Stance

This marks the 30th lawsuit Mayes has joined against the Trump administration since the President took office in January. She has previously won multiple court orders protecting FEMA funding for Arizona.

The coalition argues that the Trump administration added illegal and impossible-to-meet requirements to key grant programs that break from past practice and create unnecessary obstacles for states trying to access promised funding.

The grants at risk fund critical state operations. The Emergency Management Performance Grant covers 50% of Arizona's state emergency management functions, which local agencies use for training and preparedness activities. 

Operation Stonegarden grants help state, local, and tribal law enforcement enhance border security through equipment like vehicles and overtime staffing.

The State Homeland Security Program funds terrorism prevention and response efforts, including intelligence analyst positions, bomb squad equipment, SWAT team training, and cybersecurity tools. Urban Area Security Initiative funds support similar programs in the Phoenix area.

"I am stepping in to stop the harm to our law enforcement and frontline responders, while protecting funding for Arizona to secure the border and respond to threats," Mayes stated.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has attempted to reduce FEMA's role by denying emergency declarations, withholding grants, and imposing new conditions on funding recipients.