Trump's "election integrity" threat: Defunding state and local police
State and cities nationwide are rebelling against the White House's push to withhold millions of dollars in police and anti-terrorism funding unless they impose new voting rules. Why it matters: President Trump's effort to impose election policies that he hasn't been able to get through Congress has now drawn two lawsuits from state and local governments that accuse the administration of…
Nationwide, states and cities are opposing President Trump's mandate to withhold millions in police and anti-terrorism funding unless they adopt new voting policies. This move has sparked two lawsuits from affected governments, who allege the administration is threatening to defund public safety unless it meets Trump's demands. These demands include transitioning to paper ballots, verifying citizenship, and conducting audits on 5% of ballots.
Harris County, Texas, and other jurisdictions stand to lose millions in public safety grants unless they comply with Trump's voting rules. The Supreme Court recently lifted a block on Trump's plan to use the Postal Service to limit mail-in ballot deliveries, though it still faces legal challenges.
Harris County, Columbus, Ohio, Nashville, Tennessee, and El Paso County, Texas, have joined a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over its efforts to withhold grant money. The DHS claims these measures are necessary for election security, but state and local officials argue these restrictions are costly and partisan, risking loss of funding for anti-terrorism and other critical tasks.
In July, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened to withhold federal funding from states, echoing Trump's accusations of noncitizen votes on state rolls. The administration maintains that election security is vital for national security, but many believe this is a pretext for political influence.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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