Minneapolis Sues Trump Administration Over ‘Unlawful’ Threat To Disaster Funding

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The city of Minneapolis is joining eight other local governments across the country in suing the Trump administration for what it calls an unlawful attempt to attach political conditions to federal disaster and emergency preparedness funding.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Illinois, challenges new U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency rules that could withhold nearly $100 million in national emergency grants unless cities agree to abandon certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and comply with all executive orders tied to grant eligibility.

In Minneapolis, about $3.6 million in annual grants fund the majority of positions in the city’s Emergency Management Department and support equipment for the Minneapolis Police and Fire Departments. Officials said losing the money would severely limit the city’s ability to respond to disasters such as mass shootings, terrorism, tornadoes, and floods.

"Minneapolis is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with cities across the country to say loud and clear: you can’t threaten our safety to force your politics," Mayor Jacob Frey said.

"Disaster relief and emergency preparedness should never be conditional on abandoning the very values that make our city strong."

The lawsuit, Chicago v. DHS, names the City of Chicago as lead plaintiff. Other plaintiffs include Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, New York City, New Haven, Ramsey County, and St. Paul.

Public Rights Project CEO Jill Habig, whose organization is assisting the plaintiffs, said the administration is "weaponizing federal funding to bully local governments into abandoning policies that keep people safe."

The city noted this is the third lawsuit Minneapolis has filed against the Trump administration in defense of federal funding it says is essential for community safety and public health.

According to the complaint, communities stand to lose critical preparedness resources nationwide: Chicago relies on $6 million in federal funds to train police officers protecting transit infrastructure, Denver depends on over $4 million for emergency readiness, and New York City receives about $12 million to safeguard its transit system against terrorism and disasters.