Attorney General Ellison sues DHS, FEMA to recover grants to combat terrorism

Grants support state programs that prevent targeted attacks by violent extremists

February 25, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today joined a group of state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for illegally and abruptly ending millions in grants to states to prevent targeted violence and terrorist attacks.

Created by Congress in 2020, the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) grant program is the only source of federal dollars dedicated to funding local, proactive targeted violence and counterterrorism efforts. These funds represent a significant source of financial support for states, including state agencies, health facilities, state universities, and state and local law enforcement to identify threats and prevent targeted attacks by violent extremists.

Despite real and persistent threats to public safety throughout the country, on July 21, 2025, DHS and FEMA wrongfully and immediately terminated TVTP grant awards mid-funding stream. According to DHS, the awards no longer achieved the program goals or priorities of the Trump administration. The Trump administration terminated this funding one month after a Minnesota state representative and her spouse were assassinated in their home, and another state senator and his spouse were seriously injured in an act of targeted political violence. Minnesota public safety officials use this funding to help local law enforcement, mental health professionals, school administrators, faith leaders, and other community partners identify and prevent targeted violence across the state.

“The Trump regime rails about ‘terrorism,’ yet illegally cuts Minnesota’s funding for fighting terrorism. The only logic here is that Donald Trump is not interested in keeping Minnesota safe — he is interested in exacting revenge and retribution on our state and our people because of the people and values we hold dear and how we choose to exercise our right to vote,” Attorney General Ellison said. “Once again, I’m using the power of the law to hold them accountable in court for these illegal cuts. My office has kept Trump from cutting more than $2 billion from Minnesotans and I’m hopeful we will prevail here as well. I won’t stop holding this regime accountable until it stops breaking the law.”

Attorney General Ellison and the coalition allege in the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, that the administration’s actions constitute a breach of the grant agreements. The agreements contain terms covering the specific and exclusive grounds for grant termination, such as a grantee’s material failure to comply, and do not allow the government to unilaterally terminate based on partisan grounds or shifts in priorities from one administration to the next. In addition, the grant terminations also violate the government’s duty of good faith and fair dealing.

For these reasons, the suing states say they are entitled to recover money damages for the breach of the grant agreements caused by the Trump administration’s illegal actions.

Joining Attorney General Ellison in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general from Colorado, Hawai‘i, Maryland, Michigan, and Rhode Island.