(The Center Square) – Federal funding to a number of major American cities is once again in jeopardy as the federal government looks to tighten its purse strings.
On Monday, five cities announced they were filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the freezing of funding for the Securing the Cities counterterrorism program, which is intended to protect cities from large-scale security threats such as nuclear or terrorist attacks.
Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Seattle have joined Denver in the lawsuit.
“National security is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American one, and losing this funding makes America less safe,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. “You wouldn’t think we would need to go to federal court to explain why it’s important to protect citizens from terrorism, but here we are.”
There are 13 cities that are a part of the program, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and the Washington, D.C. area. Under the program, the cities are provided resources, equipment and training.
“In Denver, this funding has previously been used to conduct security sweeps and monitor critical infrastructure,” the mayor’s office said in a statement. “Equipment funded through the program, Securing the Cities, is used in routine daily operations by Denver Police, Denver Fire, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, and Colorado State Patrol.”
The Securing the Cities program was first started in 2007 as a response to terror attacks like 9/11. Denver joined the program during an expansion of the program in 2018.
The criminal complaint filed by the cities alleges President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by freezing funding to the program. That freeze first started on Feb. 21, with all reimbursement requests since then being ignored by the Department of Homeland Security.
On May 14, DHS officially notified the cities in the program that they “must pause … all radiological and nuclear detection equipment purchases” due to supposed “funding constraints.”
This “unconstitutional” funding freeze has already “impaired public safety,” the lawsuit alleges.
Since May 14, Denver has paused all new expenditures except paying staff.
This is Denver’s third lawsuit against the Trump administration since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Its first lawsuit came after $24 million in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Shelter and Services” grants were rescinded because of the city’s so-called “sanctuary city” policies.
Then, in May, Denver sued over the administration’s threat to withhold up to $600 million in federal transportation grants over noncompliance with DEI and immigration directives. The city received a preliminary injunction in that case.
