{"id":2790,"date":"2026-07-10T05:11:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T00:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=2790"},"modified":"2026-07-10T05:11:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T00:11:10","slug":"dhs-to-withhold-fema-grants-over-new-election-security-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=2790","title":{"rendered":"DHS to withhold FEMA grants over new election security requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\"><strong>FIRST ON FOX<\/strong>: The <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066181\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/executive\/homeland-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> will withhold billions in preparedness grant funding from states that refuse to adopt new election security measures, including voter citizenship verification, post-election audits and expanded use of paper ballots.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">The push comes as President Donald Trump and <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066182\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/senate\/republicans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many Republicans slam states<\/a> that do not want to let the federal government audit their voter rolls, while also criticizing the snail&#8217;s-pace, widely criticized vote tabulations in states like California.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">FEMA, a sub-agency of DHS, is making more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding available to states that want to participate in its <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066183\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fema.gov\/grants\/preparedness\/homeland-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Homeland Security Grant Program<\/a>, but with a catch.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066184\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/obama-appointed-judge-blocks-trumps-election-order-save-america-act-fight-intensifies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP&#8217;S ELECTION ORDER AS SAVE AMERICA ACT FIGHT INTENSIFIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">To qualify for grants, states must submit plans to transition away from &#8220;<a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066186\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/voting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">unsecure electronic voting systems<\/a>&#8221; that employ QR codes or barcodes instead of hand-marked paper ballots.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">By doing so, the agency said, it provides a paper trail to quickly assess any alleged irregularities.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">After each federal election, states seeking preparedness grants must conduct a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066187\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/rnc-launches-multimillion-dollar-election-integrity-push-17-states-ahead-midterms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">manual audit<\/a> of at least 5% of all ballots cast with the agency arguing a manual, random review will confirm voting-machine tabulations\u2019 synthesis with paper ballots and identify any &#8220;manipulation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">States must also match the number of voters who participated in the election with the number of ballots cast and, within 120 days of any grant award, <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066188\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/obama-appointed-judge-blocks-trumps-election-order-save-america-act-fight-intensifies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">use the SAVE database<\/a> \u2014 brought to the fore amid numerous illegal immigrant truckers getting in fatal crashes \u2014 to verify the citizenship of every listed voter in the state.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">SAVE, the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, has been criticized by some Democratic governors for being insufficiently maintained, an assertion DHS has denied.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066189\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/legal-war-trumps-agenda-gains-firepower-federal-lawyers-defect-democrats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP\u2019S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/343\/192\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/686\/384\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/672\/378\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1344\/756\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/931\/523\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1862\/1046\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/720\/405\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1440\/810\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/voting-booths-nc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"People vote at a row of paneled booths inside a polling location.x\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Voters inside a North Carolina polling place.<\/span> <span>(Melissa Sue Gerrits\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">DHS told Fox News Digital that threats to election systems continue to evolve and that <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066190\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/markwayne-mullin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secretary Markwayne Mullin<\/a> has made critical infrastructure protection a top priority. A spokesperson suggested elections fall within that critical infrastructure and remain susceptible to foreign attacks.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Under President Trump\u2019s leadership, we are taking decisive action to protect election systems from threats like foreign interference, insider threats and cyberattacks,&#8221; the DHS spokesperson said. &#8220;These new requirements for homeland security grant recipients will preserve election integrity and ensure that Americans can trust the results.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The new rules come as the Trump administration had a major loss in court while seeking to force the issue of election security.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">An Obama-appointed federal judge in Pittsburgh sided with the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066191\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/us-regions\/northeast\/pennsylvania\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Commonwealth of Pennsylvania<\/a> after the Justice Department sued more than 25 states seeking voter records that included Social Security numbers.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066192\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/newsletters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/343\/192\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/686\/384\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/672\/378\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1344\/756\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/931\/523\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1862\/1046\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/720\/405\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1440\/810\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1200\/675\/voting-booths.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Voting stations in Texas\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Voting booths at Glass Elementary School&#8217;s polling station in Eagle Pass, Texas, Nov. 8, 2022<\/span> <span>(Marke Felix\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066193\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/judiciary\/federal-courts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Judge Cathy Bissoon ruled<\/a> the feds lack authority to demand &#8220;highly sensitive&#8221; state information after Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia Republican appointed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, balked at a demand to turn over data last fall.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Schmidt reportedly offered a redacted version of the state voter file without the sensitive data, telling the DOJ in his response that such &#8220;broad data&#8221; collection is a &#8220;concerning attempt to expand the federal government\u2019s role in our country\u2019s election process,&#8221; according to The <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_2066195\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/news\/nation-world\/trump-justice-department-lawsuit-voter-rolls-pennsylvania-20260628.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Philadelphia Inquirer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">DHS\u2019 new tact may or may not be tested in a similar fashion.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, worked in both the New York and Washington bureaus for Fox News since 2013.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security will withhold billions in preparedness grant funding from states that refuse to adopt new election security measures, including voter citizenship verification, post-election audits and expanded use of paper ballots. The push comes as President Donald Trump and many Republicans&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/voting-booths-nc.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2790\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}