Trump administration officials notified New York City that it is cutting $188 million in federal funding for migrants and $325 million in disaster relief grants.
Included in the $188 million is the $80 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds that the Trump administration previously clawed back from the city, citing its support for illegal immigrants. Another $106 million is now at risk, and an additional $37 million has been paused. The cuts leave the city with just $106 million of the original $223 million earmarked in its budget.
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New York Mayor Eric Adams blasted the efforts in a statement to the Washington Examiner, blaming Congress and President Donald Trump’s predecessors for failing to take action against illegal immigration.
“Like their previous actions clawing back appropriated funds, these steps are unlawful, and the New York City Law Department is currently determining the best legal recourse to take to ensure that this money remains in New York City, where it was allocated and belongs,” he said.
“As I have repeatedly said, New York City did not create this crisis — it was caused by decades of federal inaction and failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” Adams added. “Yet, New Yorkers — and residents of other major cities across the country — have been forced to pay the price.”
The city has already sued the Trump administration over the $80 million it pulled and signaled it will take legal action to recover the remaining federal funds. Adams pointed to his administration’s handling of the migrant crisis as justification for continued support, even as the Department of Government Efficiency looks to cut costs across the board.
“With minimal help from the federal government, our administration has skillfully managed an unprecedented migrant crisis, during which more than 234,000 people have entered our city seeking shelter, costing taxpayers over $7.5 billion in just three years,” Adams said.
“Simply put, this SSP grant from the federal government is the bare minimum New York taxpayers deserve,” he added. “We will continue working to ensure our city’s residents receive every dollar they are owed and to prevent this funding clawback from taking effect.”
The Trump administration is still reviewing the $37 million that has been paused, and will claw back the money if it finds “unallowable expenses.”
In an April 1 letter from FEMA to the New York City Office of Management and Budget obtained by the Washington Examiner, an official said the federal government is terminating $188 million allocated to the Shelter and Services grant program because the money doesn’t align with the administration’s goals to secure the border.
“The Department, consistent with President Trump’s direction, is focused on advancing the essential mission of enforcing immigration laws and securing the border,” acting FEMA administrator Cameron Hamilton wrote. “Consequently, grant programs that support, or have the potential to support, illegal immigration through funding illegal activities or support for illegal aliens that is not consistent with DHS’s enforcement focus do not effectuate the agency’s current priorities.”
TRACKING WHAT DOGE IS DOING ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
While the $188 million funding cut has alarmed city officials, New York state faces additional FEMA concerns. The agency has pulled $325 million earmarked for antiflooding efforts, jeopardizing several projects designed to control storm runoff and flooding across the state — including in the vulnerable New York City area.
“Cutting funding for communities across New York is short sighted and a massive risk to public safety,” Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said in a statement. “Without support for resilience projects now, our communities will be far more vulnerable when disaster strikes next.”