The complaint, filed in federal court in Rhode Island, argues that the latest conditions imposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the billions of dollars in grants, approved by the US Congress, are illegal and unconstitutional.
Specifically, the Trump Administration has required states that in order to receive the funds they must comply with certain federal mandates, such as immigration control and collaboration with federal agencies, acceptance of new electoral administration requirements and the possibility of the funds being canceled based on other criteria.
This is not the first time that the White House has tried to block these funds intended for emergencies.
California Attorney Rob Bonta explained this Thursday in a press conference that, along with other state prosecutors, they had already challenged and blocked two similar attempts related to these same subsidy programs.
“The Administration has already lost similar battles in court, and we anticipate that this latest illegal attempt will also fail. Our communities deserve better than to see their essential resources involved in political games,” he added, leading the lawsuit along with Illinois Attorney Kwame Raoul.
For his part, the governor of California, Democrat Gavin Newsom, also attacked Trump, warning that the US president cannot coerce the Golden State to change its own electoral laws.
The states of New Jersey, Rhode Island, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, joined Illinois and California in the lawsuit.