Judge Blocks Trump Tying Anti-Terrorism Grants to Election Changes

A U.S.Judge Blocked the Trump (R) Administration on 9/28/2026, from Conditioning Counter-Terrorism Funds to State and Local Governments on to Election Administration. The Decision by Washington-based U.S. District Judge Amir Ali marks the latest Defeat for Trump, in His Bid to Increase the Federal Government's Authority over Elections ahead of the 11/3/2026 Midterms, when His Republicans are Fighting to retain Majorities in both Houses of Congress.

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Announced that it would Withhold 20% of Funding under Grant Programs related to Preparing for Terrorist Attacks and other Threats until State or Local Governments Adopted Election Administration Measures Favored by the Administration.

In His 9/28/2026, Ali sided with Counties and Cities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, which Sued to Block the Changes on the Basis that the Conditioning of such Funds Exceeded the Federal Emergency Management Agency' (FEMA) Authority. A Coalition of mostly Democratic Governed States Filed a Separate Legal Challenge to the Policy, which remains Pending.

The Grant Programs Totaling about $1.1 Billion, have Existed for Years. None of Them were Signed with Election Security Specifically in Mind.

“Congress did not authorize the grant program. to be used for the sort of election administration reforms FEMA demands here — changes that, whether sound or not as a matter of policy, are not advanced to prepare for or respond to ‘acts of terrorism,’” wrote Ali, an Appointee of President Joe Biden (D).

In Announcing the Plan to Condition the Funds, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin (R)( said the New Requirements would Protect Election Systems from Foreign Interference and Cyberattacks.

The Plan would have required Grant Recipients to use Equipment that Accepts Hand-Marked Paper Ballots rather than Electronic Voting Systems, Manually Audit at least 5% of Ballots Cast, and Compare their Voter rolls to a DHS Ddatabase to make sure No Non-Citizens were Registered to Vote.

Trump has long made False Claims about Widespread Voting Fraud in U.S. Elections including the 2020 Presidential Election that He Lost.

Independent Studies and Audits have found Voter Fraud to be Rare.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker