US judge blocks Trump govt from tying counterterrorism grants to election rules

A US judge has blocked the Trump administration from tying counterterrorism grants to election rules, in a case brought by local governments challenging the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to make election-related requirements a condition for receiving funds under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Homeland Security Grant Program.

The dispute arose after FEMA attached five election-related conditions to fiscal year 2026 funding, including requirements for jurisdictions to move away from electronic voting systems and to conduct post-election audits. The local governments argued that Congress did not create the programme to empower the federal government to control state and local election procedures.

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