**Summary: State Emergency Managers Warn of Growing Risks Amid Federal Funding Cuts and Uncertainty**
Across the United States, state emergency management agencies are facing a cascade of challenges in securing critical federal funds needed to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, terrorist threats, and other emergencies. Recent drastic changes in federal grant policies, unexpected cuts, and delays—many tied to shifting political priorities and ongoing litigation—have left state and local officials frustrated and concerned about their ability to safeguard their communities. The situation has been further complicated by a federal government shutdown, adding another layer of uncertainty.
**Federal Grants in Disarray: Changing Rules and Delayed Funding**
Emergency management at the state level relies heavily on a stable stream of federal funding, channeled through programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These include the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), which together support everything from salaries and training to equipment, vehicles, and communications systems for first responders.
Recently, however, state officials report an unprecedented degree of confusion and disruption related to these grants. On September 29, FEMA announced the allocation of $320 million in EMPG funds to states. But in a move that caught many off guard, FEMA the very next day told recipients that the funding was suddenly on hold until states could submit revised population counts—specifically, numbers that excluded individuals "removed from the State pursuant to the immigration laws of the United States." States were also instructed to explain their methodology for these calculations, a requirement that emergency managers say is far outside their usual expertise or responsibilities.
Trina Sheets, executive director of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), which represents state emergency officials nationwide, called this demand unprecedented. “It’s certainly not the responsibility of emergency management to certify population,” she said, highlighting the confusion it has caused among her members.
**States Struggle to Comply with New Requirements**
With little guidance from FEMA or DHS on how to calculate the revised population figures, states have scrambled to come up with solutions. In Hawaii, for example, emergency management staff rushed to piece together estimates using 2020 Census data and numbers of "noncitizens" supplied by advocacy groups. But even after this effort, officials like Kiele Amundson, communications director for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, are unsure if their methodology will pass muster. The situation is further complicated by the federal government shutdown, which has led to the furlough of FEMA contacts and the closure of the grant application portal, leaving states unable to seek clarification or submit the required information.
DHS, in a written statement, defended the new requirements by citing "recent population shifts" and the need to ensure that funding is responsive to "new and urgent threats facing our nation." The agency said it needs certainty about each state’s eligible population, including the impact of deportations, before distributing grant dollars.
However, the delays are already having tangible effects. Smaller local governments and agencies that rely on pass-through funding from states are particularly vulnerable, as they tend to have less financial flexibility and smaller staffs. Compounding the problem, FEMA has also reduced the period in which grant recipients can spend the funds—from three years down to just one year. This change will make it difficult for agencies to undertake long-term projects and could force them into hasty spending decisions or cause them to forgo important initiatives altogether.
Bryan Koon, head of the consulting firm IEM and a former director of Florida’s emergency management agency, warns that such interruptions in funding and planning capacity could directly endanger American lives. “An interruption in those services could place American lives in jeopardy,” he said.
**Major Cuts and Unexplained Changes in Security Grants**
The EMPG is not the only source of federal support facing turmoil. In September, FEMA announced drastic cuts to several states’ allocations from the Homeland Security Grant Program, a $1 billion fund typically distributed based on assessed security risks. The money is essential for state and local law enforcement and emergency services, who use it for preparedness and response activities.
Some of the hardest-hit states were New York and Illinois, both governed by Democrats. New York’s grant was slashed by 79%, amounting to $100 million less than anticipated; Illinois saw its allocation drop by 69%. By contrast, some U.S. territories experienced unexpected windfalls. The U.S. Virgin Islands, for instance, received