Judge rules Trump unlawfully ended FEMA disaster prevention programme

Twenty states had challenged the end of the programme, meant to make localities more resilient to natural disasters.Published On 11 Dec 2025A federal judge has said the administration of United States President Donald Trump acted unlawfully in ending a programme aimed at helping communities become more resilient to natural disasters.The Trump administration had targeted the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) programme as part of a wider effort to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3FEMA workers put on leave after letter criticising Trump administrationlist 2 of 3As deadly storms subside, Texas flooding puts spotlight on gov’t responselist 3 of 3What can we expect as fire season ramps up in California?end of listBut on Thursday, US District Judge Richard Stearns ruled that the administration lacked the authority to end the grant programme. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by 20 states, the majority led by Democrats.Stearns said the administration’s action amounted to an “unlawful executive encroachment on the prerogative of Congress to appropriate funds for a specific and compelling purpose”.“The BRIC program is designed to protect against natural disasters and save lives,” Stearns wrote, adding that the “imminence of disasters is not deterred by bureaucratic obstruction”.Stearns had previously blocked FEMA from diverting more than $4bn allocated to BRIC to other purposes.Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell was among the plaintiffs praising the decision.“Today’s court order will undoubtedly save lives by preventing the federal government from terminating funding that helps communities prepare for and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters,” she said in a statement.BRIC is the largest resiliency programme offered by FEMA, designed to reduce disaster-related risks and bolster efforts to recover quickly.