WASHINGTON – Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Brown claims the department canceled over $4 million in funds meant to aid the state in providing shelter and support to migrants waiting for further action on their asylum or other immigration claims.
Brown stated that this funding had been approved by Congress. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which operates under DHS, had awarded Washington the money through the Shelter and Services Program. However, before Washington could request payment, FEMA froze and subsequently terminated the funding.
In his complaint, Attorney General Brown argued that the DHS violated the Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine. FEMA began terminating grants associated with the Shelter and Services Program in the spring, asserting that the payments no longer aligned with “the program goals or agency priorities.”
