Judge Blocks FEMA Fund Diversion by Trump Administration

A federal judge in Massachusetts has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from reallocating over $4 billion from FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports disaster risk mitigation projects. The ruling follows a lawsuit by 20 Democrat-led states challenging FEMA's authority to end the BRIC program and repurpose its funds without congressional approval. Judge Richard Stearns cited FEMA's actions—such as canceling new funding opportunities and warning stakeholders not to expect future funding—as evidence of efforts to terminate the program. The court determined that diverting these funds could significantly increase disaster risks for states and that Congress had not granted FEMA authority to reallocate the money. The injunction stops the administration from using BRIC funds for other purposes but does not compel FEMA to distribute the funds to states at this stage. The case will proceed as the court evaluates the program's future.