Trump can't force election changes by blocking counterterrorism funds to states, judge says

A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump's administration cannot withhold counterterrorism funds from states that fail to meet its election administration demands. US District Judge Amir Ali in Washington, D.C., determined in a 24-page opinion that federal agencies lack the authority granted by Congress to attach such conditions to the grants, and that the conditions do not meet legal requirements to be related to the original purpose of the funds.

The grant conditions were included in a FEMA announcement from the summer, which stated that 20% of grants for states and urban areas would be withheld until they complied with the election-related requirements. These requirements included verifying the citizenship of all registered voters and election workers, and implementing paper ballot systems for electronic voting machines.

The cities and counties that sued argued that FEMA had no authority under its governing statute and the Constitution to impose these conditions, as they pertain to election administration rather than critical infrastructure protection.