GOOD NEWS: Court Blocks Trump’s Illegal Attempt to Weaponize FEMA Disaster Relief

WASHINGTON, DC — A federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration’s illegal attempt to condition critical FEMA disaster relief funding on states’ cooperation with federal immigration agents. Sabotaging Our Safety today stressed that it’s welcome news that the court decision protects communities’ access to essential emergency resources during natural disasters, rejecting the administration’s effort to weaponize disaster relief for political purposes.

“This judge’s ruling is exactly right – FEMA funding cannot be leveraged for immigration enforcement,” said Rafael Lemaitre, former Director of Public Affairs at FEMA. “The Trump administration is attempting to exploit disaster relief through political theater, diverting millions of dollars away from vital preparedness efforts and holding them hostage to advance their immigration agenda. Communities must be able to trust that disaster relief will be there when they need it most, not fear that help will be denied based on their leaders’ policies.”

This ruling comes amid new reporting revealing that Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson was unreachable for a full 24 hours during the first critical day of the deadly and devastating Hill Country flooding. The administration has also reportedly retaliated against government whistleblowers who warned about dangerous cuts to disaster preparedness that leave Americans vulnerable to catastrophic failures during emergencies.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has systematically dismantled America’s emergency response capabilities when citizens need help most. Trump proposed eliminating FEMA entirely, then slashed 20% of FEMA staff and froze critical emergency funds. He cancelled FEMA’s flood protection program, eliminating $4.6 billion in funding nationwide.

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