Benjamin Oreskes in the New York Times reports on the impact of delays in funding for security and counter-terrorism ("FEMA Delays $2.4 Billion in Grants to Fight Terror, and States Feel the Pinch," July 11, 2025).
In the past, FEMA's security grant program has supported a wide variety of state and local needs designed to support local security, including support for police departments and for cybersecurity. The article reports that it is estimated that about $2.4 Billion is being held up while the Trump Administration reviews the need for additional funding requirements to reflect the Administration's policy priorities. The article reports that a group of state and local officials have written to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying that the funding delay is having negative impacts on "response and recovery capabilities across the country, and puts critical infrastructure at risk."