US Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Conditions on Anti-Terrorism Grants

On Monday, US District Judge Amir Ali ruled against the Trump administration, preventing it from tying counterterrorism funding for state and local governments to modifications in election administration. This decision favored cities and counties from Texas, Ohio, and Tennessee that had filed a lawsuit against the policy. Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security had declared it would withhold 20 percent of funding from grant programs aimed at countering terrorist threats until certain election administration changes were implemented by state or local governments. The plaintiffs contended that this funding condition overstepped the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Additionally, a group of predominantly Democratic states has initiated a separate legal challenge to the policy, which is still unresolved. This ruling represents another setback for US President Donald Trump as he seeks to expand federal control over elections before the November 3 midterms, where Republicans aim to maintain their congressional majorities.