A federal judge has stopped the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from cutting anti-terrorism funds for local governments that choose not to alter their election procedures. This decision is a recent setback for the Trump administration’s push to revise election regulations.
The Trump administration had suggested limiting counterterrorism funding for local governments that did not check voters’ citizenship status. FEMA indicated plans to withhold 20 percent of anti-terrorism funding if these governments did not implement certain election changes.
This ruling affects local governments’ abilities to access crucial counterterrorism funding without altering their approach to managing elections. The decision underscores ongoing legal challenges related to federal attempts at changing electoral practices.