NEW YORK (RTW News) — A federal judge has permanently blocked the Trump administration from withholding nearly $34 million in funding aimed at enhancing security measures for New York’s transit system against potential terrorist attacks.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration's withdrawal of funds was arbitrary, capricious, and a blatant violation of the law, responding to the administration’s use of New York City's status as a “sanctuary city” as a basis for the move. The funds were intended to be allocated based solely on terrorism risk, according to the judge’s interpretation of the post-9/11 Transit Security Grant Program.
The ruling comes after the state sued the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for cutting financial support for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the principal entity managing the city’s transit operations.
A FEMA official admitted in court filings that funding was denied because the MTA's application was from New York City, classified as a designated Sanctuary Jurisdiction city. The MTA had planned to use the funds for targeted counterterrorism patrols, security equipment, infrastructure enhancements, cybersecurity technology, and weapon detection technologies, marking it as the largest allocation among transit agencies nationwide.
In response, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James praised the ruling as a significant victory for all New Yorkers relying on public transportation. They stated, “A court has once again affirmed that this administration cannot punish New York by arbitrarily wiping out critical security resources and defunding law enforcement that keeps riders safe.”
The permanent injunction reaffirms the obligation of federal authorities to distribute funds based on the actual security threats rather than political considerations.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration's withdrawal of funds was arbitrary, capricious, and a blatant violation of the law, responding to the administration’s use of New York City's status as a “sanctuary city” as a basis for the move. The funds were intended to be allocated based solely on terrorism risk, according to the judge’s interpretation of the post-9/11 Transit Security Grant Program.
The ruling comes after the state sued the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for cutting financial support for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the principal entity managing the city’s transit operations.
A FEMA official admitted in court filings that funding was denied because the MTA's application was from New York City, classified as a designated Sanctuary Jurisdiction city. The MTA had planned to use the funds for targeted counterterrorism patrols, security equipment, infrastructure enhancements, cybersecurity technology, and weapon detection technologies, marking it as the largest allocation among transit agencies nationwide.
In response, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James praised the ruling as a significant victory for all New Yorkers relying on public transportation. They stated, “A court has once again affirmed that this administration cannot punish New York by arbitrarily wiping out critical security resources and defunding law enforcement that keeps riders safe.”
The permanent injunction reaffirms the obligation of federal authorities to distribute funds based on the actual security threats rather than political considerations.
