Federal court sides with Nevada, states over FEMA grants release

Attorney General Aaron Ford announced a court order Monday that blocks the Trump administration from imposing unlawful conditions on two federal emergency grants following a lawsuit filed by Nevada and 11 other states.

“The Trump administration’s attempt to undermine Nevada’s readiness for emergency situations and security threats is a total abdication of the government’s responsibility to its constituents,” Ford said in a statement. “The terms that President Trump’s administration attempted to place on these grants were blatantly illegal, and we are proud that the court has agreed.”

Ford’s office said the Federal Emergency Management Agency grants funded a substantial portion of the Nevada Office of Emergency Management. They also provided assistance for homeland security funding and terrorism prevention, reaching about $4.2 million in emergency management performance grants and $15.3 million in homeland security grant program funds for the 2025 fiscal year.

In Nevada, the homeland security grant program funds are used in the Las Vegas area to “prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from threats of terrorism,” according to records filed in federal court in Oregon. The funds have been used to purchase license plate readers, drone technology, ballistic vests, helmets and other tactical gear.

The federal government had placed an improper funding hold on one grant and changed the timeline for the expenditure of funding under both grants, the attorney general’s office said about the lawsuit filed Nov. 4. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, paused funding while demanding that the states provide new population data as of Sept. 30, certifying that the most up-to-date population statistics did not include individuals deported from the U.S.

In the Dec. 23 order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy Potter agreed with the states, barring FEMA from imposing the population terms and preventing further attempts.

A spokesperson for the White House deferred a reporter to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. In a statement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the department was still focused on instilling the reform but did not specify how.

“For too long, FEMA’s outdated programs treated taxpayer money like a free-for-all,” according to the Tuesday statement. “(Under) President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS has been relentless in its efforts to eliminate waste and ensure every dollar strengthens our communities. This judicial sabotage threatens the safety of our states, counties, towns, and weakens the entire nation. We will fight to restore these critical reforms and protect American lives.”

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.