A federal judge ruled on 2026-09-28 that the Trump administration cannot tie counterterrorism funding to state and local governments to changes in election administration. The administration had sought to withhold Homeland Security money unless states implemented paper balloting and citizenship verification measures.
A federal judge on September 28 blocked the Trump administration's authority to withhold federal counterterrorism funding from states to force election administration changes. The judge ruled the administration failed to explain how the demanded election changes were tied to counterterrorism vulnerabilities.
A federal judge ruled on September 13, 2026, that the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security plan to cut FEMA staffing by 50 percent was unlawful. The judge stated the plan appeared "pulled from thin air" and would impede FEMA's ability to respond to disasters as legally mandated.
On September 12, 2026, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when the Department of Homeland Security directed FEMA to reduce its workforce by 50 percent, finding the agency's autonomy over personnel decisions was violated.