New York leaders demand DHS restore $87 million in counterterrorism grants withheld from New York State and City, warning the cuts — announced ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 — would force reductions to bomb squads, hazmat teams, FDNY incident-management and special-operations units, NYPD intelligence analysts, and National Guard protections at transit hubs. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=376
# What’s happening
– The Department of Homeland Security withheld $87 million in counterterrorism funds.
– Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for immediate restoration.
– The demand was made at a Sept. 1, 2026 press conference ahead of 9/11’s 25th anniversary.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=92
# Why it matters
– First responders across New York City and State will lose funding for daily counterterrorism operations.
– Reduced funding could eliminate specialized capabilities New Yorkers rely on for bomb, hazmat, and radiological threats.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=376
# Key details
– $87 million: amount officials say DHS is withholding (40% of New York State’s counterterrorism funding).
– $37.6 million: cut from the State Homeland Security Program supporting county preparedness.
– $55.6 million: the anticipated Urban Area Security Initiative cut to New York City.
– 12 bomb squads and K-9 teams: cited as at risk of defunding.
– 110: number of NYC emergency-management staff funded through the Urban Security Initiative.
– Units named for reductions: bomb squads, hazmat teams, FDNY incident management and special operations, NYPD intelligence analysts, National Guard units protecting transit hubs.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=820
Mayor and governor called on Washington to release $87 million in promised counterterrorism grant funding at a Sept. 1, 2026 press conference in New York City. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=1
Kathy Hochul led the event and said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is withholding 40% of New York State’s counterterrorism funding, which she and others calculate as $87 million. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=92
**Kathy Hochul**
– Role or jurisdiction: Governor of New York State.
– Action taken or responsibility: Led the call for DHS to restore withheld counterterrorism grants.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Cited $87 million withheld; Sept. 1, 2026 press conference.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=1
Zohran Mamdani repeated that the withheld federal funds threaten core emergency and counterterrorism capabilities in New York City and urged immediate restoration. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=376
**Zohran Mamdani**
– Role or jurisdiction: Mayor of New York City.
– Action taken or responsibility: Joined the governor in demanding DHS release the funds.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Press conference Sept. 1, 2026; referenced $87 million.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=376
Officials provided a program-level breakdown of the cuts during the press event. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=736
Roughly $37.6 million is identified as cut from the State Homeland Security Program, which funds county preparedness, equipment, and response teams including hazmat, tactical, and urban search-and-rescue units. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=736
The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) award for the region dropped from $156 million to $92 million, with New York City’s share estimated to fall by $55.6 million; the city’s cut from the State Homeland Security Program is roughly $11 million. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=820
Officials listed specific operational impacts they say would follow if funds are not restored. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=910
New York City and State leaders said funding shortfalls would affect at least 12 bomb squads and K-9 teams, FDNY incident management teams, hazmat teams, search-and-rescue and special operations command units, and NYPD intelligence analysts. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=475; https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=910
New York City Emergency Management staff explained that about 110 of its positions are funded through the Urban Security Initiative; the agency said loss of those funds will force cuts to planning, stockpiles, exercises, and emergency communications. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=1694
Officials said the National Guard units that have helped protect major transit hubs since Sept. 11 would see reductions if the grants are not restored. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=910
City and state witnesses warned about practical consequences and contingency options. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=736
A senior city official said the federal cuts would force work with the city’s Office of Management and Budget to identify impacts and that “there will be serious impacts” on preparedness and response if the money is not restored. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=1694
In earlier coverage, City Council testimony on March 27, 2025 warned that federal grant reductions to emergency management could strip roughly $110 million and threaten as much as two-thirds of the city emergency-management workforce. This reporting framed longer-standing concerns about federal grant volatility. (Earlier coverage: March 27, 2025 City Council hearing.) Source (earlier coverage): https://getlocalpost.com/2025/03/27/nyc-council-faces-110-million-fema-funding-crisis-amid-budget-cuts/
Officials repeatedly asked DHS Secretary and the Department of Homeland Security to honor prior commitments and restore the funding the president had publicly discussed. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=92
**Department of Homeland Security (DHS)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Federal agency that administers the Homeland Security Grant Program.
– Action taken or responsibility: Officials were accused of withholding approximately 40% of New York’s counterterrorism grant awards.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Withholding cited as $87 million; demand issued Sept. 1, 2026.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=92
Police and fire department leaders described how their day-to-day counterterrorism operations depend on federal grants. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=820
The NYPD and FDNY use federal grant funding to support intelligence analysts, domain awareness systems, bomb squads, transit deployments, communications, and nationally recognized FDNY specialized rescue capabilities. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=820; https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=910
**FDNY**
– Role or jurisdiction: New York City Fire Department, responsible for fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials response, and emergency medical services.
– Action taken or responsibility: Officials said FDNY units funded by federal grants face cuts to incident management, hazmat, search-and-rescue, and special operations.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Units listed Sept. 1, 2026 press conference.
Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=910
Officials said they had used the grants for exercises, stockpiles, cyber defenses, and joint city-state operations, and that past grant-funded work led to hundreds of arrests or disruptions. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=92; https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=736
Questions from the press followed, and city officials said they will continue to press DHS while planning contingencies with city budget offices. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg&t=1694
This article synthesizes public remarks at the Sept. 1, 2026 press conference where New York State and City leaders demanded DHS restore $87 million in counterterrorism funding. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg
For more details and direct statements from the event, see the full press conference recording. Source: https://youtu.be/M7miYiLzkJg
GetLocalPost 
Leave a comment