New York Governor Kathy Hochul addresses the media following President Trump’s efforts to kill New York’s congestion pricing on Feb. 19, 2025 in New York Metropolis.
Picture by Alex Kent/Getty Photos
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday, Sept. 30, referred to as out President Donald Trump and US Division of Homeland Safety Secretary (DHS) Kristi Noem following $187 million in cuts to essential counterterrorism funding in New York, which instantly impacts the security and safety of New Yorkers. The cuts lowered New York’s allocation by 86 % to $30 million.
Hochul warned that these unprecedented cuts will instantly affect public security businesses all through the state, together with a projected $100 million reduce to the NYPD, a projected $15 million reduce to the FDNY, a projected $13 million reduce to Joint Activity Pressure Empire Defend, no projected funding for any of New York State’s 12 licensed bomb squads, and tens of millions of {dollars} in cuts that instantly help counties, sheriffs, and police departments.
“A Republican administration actually defunding the police is the peak of hypocrisy — and strolling away from the battle towards terrorism within the primary terrorist goal in America is completely surprising,” Gov. Hochul stated. “Any New York Home Republican who doesn’t instantly act to get this funding restored is complicit in making their constituents much less protected.”
In response, and thru a partnership with New York State Lawyer Basic Letitia James, Hochul stated New York joined a multi-state coalition of 11 different states in suing to cease the US Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) from illegally depriving states of tons of of tens of millions of {dollars} below the federal Homeland Safety Grant Program for refusal to help the administration’s immigration agenda.
Moreover, the governor issued a letter to Secretary Noem demanding transparency and accountability on these cuts and their full restoration.
Hochul stated the funding, offered by the Federal Emergency Administration Company via its Homeland Safety Grant Program (HSGP), helps native regulation enforcement and regional homeland safety preparedness efforts, together with intelligence operations, mass gathering safety, planning, tools purchases, and coaching essential to sustaining and bettering group prevention, safety, response, and restoration capabilities.
HSGP is comprised of three separate grants: the SHSP, UASI, and Operation Stonegarden. Underneath the SHSP and UASI, 80 p.c of the funding is allotted to native entities, whereas 20 p.c is reserved for state initiatives.
Following an prolonged delay, the governor stated DHS launched the 2025 Discover of Funding Alternative for HSGP, giving states entry to this essential funding.
“Nonetheless, regardless of being the nation’s primary terrorist goal, New York’s allocation was reduce by 40 % ($87 million),” she stated. “Then, with out discover nor clarification, New York was reduce an extra $102.7 million when DHS issued the awards on Sept. 27.”
She stated these unprecedented cuts had been contained inside the State Homeland Safety Program (SHSP) and City Areas Safety Initiative (UASI) parts of this system.
Hochul stated the cuts can have “a direct affect on public security businesses all through the state,” together with: A projected $100 million reduce to the NYPD together with deep cuts to intelligence analysts and the NYPD’s counterterrorism unit; a projected $15 million reduce to the FDNY together with deep cuts to interoperable communication and radiological response; and a projected $13 million reduce to Joint Activity Pressure Empire Defend, which is this system that funds the New York Nationwide Guard presence in transit hubs.
Hochul stated there isn’t any projected funding this 12 months for any of New York State’s 12 licensed bomb squads.
She stated tens of millions of {dollars} in cuts will instantly help tools purchases, coaching, workouts, and preparedness efforts for counties, sheriffs, and police departments.
Sen. Charles Schumer stated, “Placing the security of New Yorkers in danger by ripping away very important anti-terror funds is a brand new low for Donald Trump.
“New York stays a high terror goal, and it’s reckless and harmful to slash the very important federal help regulation enforcement must be ready and cease assaults,” he stated. “As threats of worldwide and home terror persist and lives cling within the steadiness, Trump’s FEMA is selecting political video games over public security. These cuts should be instantly reversed. The security of New Yorkers is dependent upon it.”
Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand stated, “The Homeland Safety Grant Program is a essential supply of funding to maintain New Yorkers protected and enhance our preparedness, prevention, safety, response, and restoration capabilities throughout the state.
“I am deeply involved that the US Division of Homeland Safety has reduce $189 million in counterterrorism funding for New York State, and I am dedicated to working with the governor to battle for the restoration of this funding,” she added.
New York State Lawyer Basic Letitia James stated, “The federal authorities’s choice to play politics with essential counterterrorism funds betrays our state’s regulation enforcement and emergency response groups who work onerous day by day to maintain New Yorkers protected.
“I joined a coalition of my fellow attorneys normal to sue DHS to cease these damaging funding cuts, and I thank Gov. Hochul for her dedication to defending New Yorkers,” she added.
