Published: 13:24, July 17, 2025 | Updated: 14:03, July 17, 2025
20 US states sue Trump administration for pulling disaster funds
By Xinhua

Volunteers work alongside Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department Firefighter to clear debris during a search and rescue operation on July 14, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. More than 160 people were reported missing after storm cells halted over the area, dumping nearly 15 inches of rain and causing a 22-foot rise along the Guadalupe River. (PHOTO /AFP)

WASHINGTON - Twenty US states -- most of them led by Democrats -- sued the administration of President Donald Trump on Wednesday for pulling funding for disaster relief.

The group filed a suit that aimed to block the Trump administration from halting billions of US dollars in grants, destined for paying upgrades to infrastructure projects meant to defend against natural disasters.

The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Boston. It alleges that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had no authority to terminate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program in April, after the program was given the green light by Congress.

ALSO READ: Death toll from Texas floods rises to 80, Trump denies link with his policy

FEMA has come under the microscope for the organization's response to the recent floods in the state of Texas, which have so far resulted in over 130 deaths.