A coalition of 25 states and Washington, D.C. has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that federal officials are using disaster grant funding as leverage to influence state election laws. The lawsuit was submitted on July 23, 2026, in federal court in Rhode Island, naming the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as defendants.
The states claim that the administration intends to withhold 20% of federal disaster grant funding, amounting to at least $148 million, unless states comply with certain election system changes mandated by President Donald Trump. The complaint argues that this action jeopardizes essential federal funds needed for various disaster services, such as earthquake and flood risk mitigation and wildfire management.
On July 9, DHS issued guidance stating that FEMA would withhold funds until states provide proof of compliance with the administration's election requirements. These requirements include using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system for voter roll citizenship verification, transitioning to voting equipment that accepts hand-marked paper ballots, and conducting post-election manual audits.
The complaint highlights a divide between states, noting that while some states have adopted Trump's policy goals, others have resisted. The plaintiffs assert that the administration's actions are unlawful and exceed the authority granted to DHS and FEMA, as Congress did not authorize them to alter state election laws or condition federal funding on compliance with immigration enforcement agendas.