DHS Threatens to Withhold $1 Billion in Grants Over New State Election Rules
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
DHS Threatens to Withhold $1 Billion in Grants Over New State Election Rules
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
Summary
$1 billion in FEMA homeland security grants will be denied to states that refuse new election-security conditions, including citizenship checks for voter rolls, post-election audits and wider use of paper ballots.
DHS said states must phase out QR- or barcode-based voting systems, manually audit at least 5% of ballots after each federal election, reconcile voters with ballots cast, and use the SAVE database within 120 days of any award.
The move comes as Senate Republicans struggle to advance the SAVE Act's proof-of-citizenship requirement with the 60 votes needed, despite backing from Trump and broad GOP support.
It also follows a court setback for the administration: a federal judge in Pittsburgh ruled the Justice Department lacked authority to force more than 25 states to hand over sensitive voter records, including Social Security numbers.
By tying disaster-preparedness funding to election rules, the administration is shifting from direct federal demands to financial leverage — a strategy likely to face fresh legal and political challenges.
Can federal funding legally be withheld to compel states to change election administration?
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Trump Administration Threatens to Withhold Over $1 Billion in FY 2026 Counterterrorism Grants to Enforce State Election Changes
Overview
The Trump administration, after returning to power, is using federal agencies like FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security to influence state election practices by tying over $1.5 billion in FY 2026 counterterrorism and preparedness grants to new election rules. While some previous efforts were blocked by courts, the administration continues to seek ways to reshape elections, now leveraging critical homeland security funding as a tool. This move has sparked strong legal and political pushback from states and experts, raising concerns about federal overreach, threats to state autonomy, and the potential impact on both public safety and trust in elections.