Judge blocks federal funds freeze. El Paso could lose millions, leaders warn
El Paso leaders are sounding the alarm over President Donald Trump's plan to freeze federal funding.
Trump announced the sweeping plan Monday night, but a court quickly put a hold on the order Tuesday, Jan. 28. While the court's hold gives communities little breathing room, there is still resounding anxiety about how deeply the move will affect local coffers.
During a news conference Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar worried that the impact in El Paso could be "pretty profound" with "tens of millions of dollars per month" at risk.
"Federal dollars are critical to every community, especially El Paso," Escobar, D-El Paso, said. "This is not how the federal government should work."
"This is really the blueprint for what we can anticipate going forward under the Trump administration."
Details remain scarce on exactly how the order might impact El Paso, but federal dollars are used for a myriad of purposes, including school meals, transportation projects, higher education funding, veterans' programs, law enforcement, childcare, federally qualified health clinics and nutrition initiatives.
City, county assessing impact
Alongside Escobar for Tuesday's briefing were El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego and Mayor Renard Johnson, who said their offices are assessing just how deep the impact of Trump's freeze might be.
For Samaniego, the thought of the county operating without federal grant dollars is "very horrific."
"It will affect everybody in this community," he said. "If we don't have those grants, the only way we are able to do things in this community is through tax dollars."
Samaniego noted that the county received federal funding for animal control services and $101 per bed at the county jail.
"There's so many touchpoints," he said. "The impact is on the community."
At the city level, Johnson noted that initial assessments found around 60 grants that could be impacted if Trump's order is allowed to proceed, including grants for airport operations and public transportation.
"Regardless of political affiliation, an executive order like this hurts all of us," he said. "This is a very, very bad executive order that will hurt all of us."
Johnson vowed to work with Samaniego and Escobar to ensure "the least impact on El Pasoans that we can."
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
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