New York City filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday to recover over $80 million in funding that the federal government rescinded.
The Context
The funds, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were originally designated to cover hotel accommodations for migrants. The legal action, titled NYC v. Trump, named President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants.
AFP/Getty Images
What To Know
“The $80 million that FEMA approved, paid, and then rescinded — after the city spent more than $7 billion in the last three years — is the bare minimum our taxpayers deserve,” Adams said in a statement Friday. “And that’s why we’re going to work to ensure our city’s residents get every dollar they are owed.”
This legal action marks a shift in Adams’ relationship with President Trump.
The New York mayor is currently facing federal corruption charges alleging he accepted bribes and illegal campaign contributions.
The Justice Department moved earlier this month to dismiss the charges in exchange for Adams’ help with enforcing Trump’s immigration policies—a move that prompted more than half a dozen career prosecutors, including the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York—to resign.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams as mayor. But she pushed for strict new oversight measures on him Thursday.
Hochul said in a statement that she had “serious questions about the long-term future of this mayoral administration.”
What People Are Saying
Adams said in a statement on Thursday posted to X, formerly Twitter: “I was elected by the people of New York City and its working-class communities to uphold their values — and that is what our administration has done. While there is no legal basis for limiting the authority of my office, I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong. I look forward to continuing those conversations.”
What Happens Next
Ho has not yet made a ruling on whether to dismiss the charges against Adams. Hochul, meanwhile, is expected to formally present her proposal regarding the NYC mayorship to lawmakers next week.
