New York City Sues Trump Administration Over $80 Million Migrant Aid Cut
(Based on Reuters’ reporting)
New York City is taking the Trump administration to court after it took back $80.5 million in federal funds meant to help cover the costs of housing migrants. The city filed a lawsuit on Friday, arguing that the money was unfairly clawed back and that it was being used properly to support migrants.
According to Reuters, the funds were originally given to the city by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on February 4. But just a week later, on February 11, the money was suddenly taken back from the city’s bank account. City officials were shocked and said this move went against Congress’s plan to help cities dealing with the migrant crisis.
Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, posted on social media platform X that she had “clawed back the full payment” because she believed FEMA had given the money to New York City without proper approval. She accused FEMA of being influenced by “deep state activists.”
The White House hasn’t commented on the lawsuit yet. New York City is asking for the $80.5 million to be returned and wants a court order to stop the Trump administration from taking back any more funds in the future.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, has criticized FEMA for what he calls “wasting taxpayer money” in Democratic-led cities like New York. Elon Musk, a Trump adviser, also claimed on X that 59millionofthe59millionofthe80.5 million was being used to house migrants in “luxury” hotels. However, Musk didn’t provide any evidence to support this claim.
Noem and a FEMA official also accused New York City of misusing the funds by turning the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan into a migrant shelter. They even claimed that a Venezuelan gang was using the hotel as a base for criminal activities.
New York City strongly denied these accusations. Officials said Musk’s claims were “filled with inaccuracies” and that there was no proof to support the allegations about criminal activity at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, said the city’s immigration system is broken, but the cost of fixing it shouldn’t fall entirely on New York City. He pointed out that the city has already spent over $7 billion in the last three years to help migrants.
Adams also said the $80 million from FEMA was the “bare minimum” the city deserved to help cover these costs. He argued that taking back the funds was unfair to New York taxpayers.
In a surprising twist, Adams is also facing criminal corruption charges brought by the Biden administration last September. Trump’s Department of Justice has asked to dismiss that case, saying Adams should be free to help Trump tackle illegal immigration.
This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tension between New York City and the Trump administration over how to handle the migrant crisis. As Reuters reports, the city is fighting to get the funds back and ensure it can continue supporting migrants without bearing the full financial burden.
(Credit: This simplified explanation is based on the original reporting by Reuters.)