Peter F. Neronha and 24 other states sue the administration over withheld disaster-preparedness and homeland security grants.
Peter F. Neronha, the Rhode Island Attorney General, co-led a lawsuit filed by 25 states and the District of Columbia against the administration for withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants. The administration is using the Homeland Security Grant Program as leverage, requiring states to adopt specific policies on election security and immigration enforcement to receive full funding. The new conditions require states to verify voter citizenship through a federal database, transition to hand-marked paper ballots, and conduct federally prescribed audits. If states do not comply, they risk losing at least 20% of their awards, which typically fund first responders, cybersecurity, and disaster response. The states argue that the administration is overstepping by placing conditions on funds already allocated by Congress. While the administration defended the move as a common-sense effort to protect the integrity of American democracy, the plaintiffs contend that the executive branch is "holding hostage" critical funding to pressure states into adopting federal priorities.