Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro joins lawsuit against Trump administration for cutting funds to public safety

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and 10 other states, including New Jersey and Delaware, are suing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reverse cuts that they say could affect safety during events for America’s 250th anniversary.

Cutting funds could impact safety during 2026 festivities

The lawsuit comes weeks after a federal judge accused the Trump administration of trying to “bully” states into accepting conditions that would require them to cooperate on immigration enforcement actions to receive disaster funding. Shapiro said Pennsylvania could lose $18 million in Urban Area Security Initiative funding, which could prove critical with a packed event schedule in the state next year.

“The Trump Administration is cutting funding for homeland security initiatives that help us prevent acts of terrorism, respond to natural disasters, and major emergencies,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Withholding that funding from Pennsylvania would be dangerous under any circumstances, but to do this just as our law enforcement officers and first responders are preparing for major events in Pennsylvania in 2026 — from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh to the FIFA World Cup and the MLB All Star Game in Philadelphia — is completely irresponsible.”

Shapiro was joined by a number of other Democratic officials, who wrote statements opposing the cuts.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker called public safety “the number one priority.”

In 2024, the city received more than $27 million in grants and reimbursements from the state for public safety programs and initiatives, according to Parker.

“There is no more important issue facing Philadelphia than ensuring our residents feel safe in their homes, their neighborhoods, and at work,” Parker said. “My promise to Philadelphia is a safer, cleaner and greener city, with access to economic opportunity for all. Public safety investments like these help us deliver on that vision, for every resident of Philadelphia, and for every visitor planning to come to our city for the Semiquincentennial in 2026.”

Philadelphia metro area leaders worry ‘shortsighted clawbacks’ could hurt in the future

The Homeland Security Grant Program awards funds to state and local programs to respond to acts of terrorism and other threats. The statement said that without the grants, it could reduce the amount of “qualified personnel” at the state and county levels and limit training for emergency managers.

Emergency Management Performance Grants are used to match 50% of salaries for county emergency management personnel across the state. If the period of performance of the grant is not adjusted, the state could lose an additional $4.2 million.

“Rescinding this lifeline without warning or explanation will significantly hinder our ability to respond to natural, manmade or technological disasters in the future. These shortsighted clawbacks put Bucks County residents at risk,” Bucks County Board of Commissioners Chair Bob Harvie said.

The statement also touched on the cuts to FEMA funding, which come a few months after more than a dozen states sued the Trump administration for slashing the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program.

Chester County Commissioners Board Chair Josh Maxwell said they could lose around $2 million in FEMA support.

“These grants power the systems that keep our residents safe — from emergency alerts and disaster response to active threat preparedness in schools, advanced training for first responders, protective equipment for law enforcement, and mass-casualty medical response teams,” Maxwell said. “Slashing those funds puts our safety at serious risk.”

The lawsuit comes just weeks after the Department of Energy canceled more than $7 billion in funding for hundreds of projects that the agency said don’t address the country’s energy needs and aren’t economically viable. Democratic lawmakers said it is an effort by the Trump administration to punish Democrats during the government shutdown, according to NPR.