FEMA disaster aid could depend on your state's policy toward this country

USA Today

3 days ago

FEMA now requires states to certify they won't sever 'commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies' to qualify for some disaster funding.
WASHINGTON − U.S. states and cities that boycott Israeli companies will be denied federal aid for natural disaster preparedness, President Donald Trump's administraton announced, tying routine federal funding to its political stance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency stated in grant notices posted August 1 that states must follow its "terms and conditions." Those conditions require they certify they will not sever 'commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies' to qualify for funding.
The requirement applies to at least $1.9 billion that states rely on to cover search-and-rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries and backup power systems among other expenses, according to 11 agency grant notices reviewed by Reuters.
The requirement is the latest effort by the Trump administration to use federal funding to promote its views on Israel.
The Department of Homeland Security, the agency that oversees FEMA, in April said that boycotting Israel is prohibited for states and cities receiving its grant funds.
FEMA separately said in July that U.S. states will be required to spend part of their federal terrorism prevention funds on helping the government arrest migrants, an administration priority.
The Israel requirement takes aim at BDS, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement designed to put economic pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories. The campaign's supporters grew more vocal in 2023, after Hamas attacked southern Israel and Israel invaded Gaza in response.
'DHS will enforce all antidiscrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism,' a spokesperson for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.
The requirement is largely symbolic. At least 34 states already have anti-BDS laws or policies, according to a University of Pennsylvania law journal. The BDS Movement did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The American Jewish Committee supports the Trump administration's policy, said Holly Huffnagle, the group's director of antisemitism policy. The AJC is an advocacy group that supports Israel.
Under one of the grant notices posted on Friday, FEMA will require major cities to agree to the Israel policy to receive a cut of $553.5 million set aside to prevent terrorism in dense areas.
New York is due to receive $92.2 million from the program, the most of all the recipients. Allocations are based on the agency's analysis of 'relative risk of terrorism,' according to the notice.