By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, alleging that federal homeland security funds were unlawfully slashed and reallocated to other states. 
The action, according to information released by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, was filed after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) abruptly reduced funding by more than 50% to states that declined to shift local resources toward enforcing federal immigration laws.
Platkin criticized the move, calling it “reckless and unlawful,” and emphasized that the funding supports vital homeland security initiatives in New Jersey, including counterterrorism measures, cyberattack prevention, and emergency preparedness.
The state’s allocation was reduced from $18.9 million to $9.8 million, nearly half of what had been promised.
The lawsuit, co-led by New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Rhode Island, argues that the cuts violate the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington also joined in the filing. 
The coalition is seeking a court order to block the funding reductions and restore the resources intended to support first responders and public safety efforts.