Hochul, Mamdani Urge DHS to Disburse $87 Million in Counterterrorism Funding for NY

NEW YORK—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sept. 1 called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deliver $87 million in funding for counterterrorism that they say had already been allocated for New York.

“We’ve come too far to let this reckless federal government jeopardize all of our progress and the vital work that is still ahead,” said Hochul at a press conference in New York City. “Don’t defund the police who thwart terror attacks.”

She said the New York City teams that rely on these federal funds handled 145 major arrests and case leads across 10 states.

The Homeland Security Grant Program provides federal funds to support local law enforcement “to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and other hazards.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which runs the grant program, pushed back on Hochul’s characterization, saying New York state has $300 million in federal homeland security funding that it has not spent.

“Gov. Hochul is manufacturing a funding crisis,” a spokesperson for FEMA wrote in an email.

But Hochul’s office stated that the DHS’s math is misleading because spending the grant funds extends over multiple years and that, prior to 2025, New York state’s award included the $87 million in addition to a $133 million initial allotment.

In 2025, however, New York was awarded only the $133 million.

“New York is the number one terrorist target in the nation. … We are making critical investments to keep residents and visitors alike safe,” a spokesperson for the governor said in an email.

In October 2025, Hochul directly asked President Donald Trump to reinstate New York’s full funding for the city and the state. She said the additional $87 million would bring New York’s total more in line with the combined $217 million granted in 2024 for both city and statewide counterterrorism preparedness.

“For more than two decades, New York has received substantial federal homeland security funding. In fact, they traditionally received allocations significantly ABOVE risk-based formulas,” a spokesperson for FEMA said.

Hochul said the state is communicating with DHS officials to get the funds released, but that she has not spoken with the president about the Homeland Security grant funds in the past year.

Hochul said she has worked hard to keep violent offenders off the streets, and her efforts have been successful, with crime at an all-time low across the state.

Mamdani said the federal counterterrorism funds are used in New York City for 12 bomb squads, as well as an internal emergency communication system for the Fire Department and for training and detectors to prepare first responders for dealing with radioactive material (such as a nuclear bomb).

Christina Farrell, first deputy commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management Department, said the funding supports 110 positions across the city’s emergency teams.

“Every bit of emergency management is funded through this money, and if it doesn’t come,” Farrell said, “there will be serious impacts on the way that we prepare New Yorkers and how we manage large-scale emergencies.”

In Fiscal Year 2026, New York can expect to receive more funding from Homeland Security (more than the $133 million received for 2025) due to the costs related to hosting FIFA World Cup matches.

Also in New York City on Sept. 1, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the results of Operation Rotten Apple, saying that from July 27 to Aug. 29, the DHS arrested more than 2,100 criminal illegal immigrants, blaming New York’s sanctuary policies for the release of more than 13,000 immigrants with criminal records back onto the streets.