Texas counties and others sue DHS over grant conditions tied to election rules

El Paso County and Harris County, together with municipalities in Tennessee and Ohio, sued the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., contesting recent conditions attached to the Homeland Security Grant Program. Since June, FEMA has warned that 20% of grant money will be withheld unless recipients adopt five new election-related mandates, such as switching to paper ballots, conducting manual audits, and integrating the SAVE system for voter registration.

Critics note that SAVE has repeatedly flagged legitimate voters as non-citizens and that the mandated changes could cost localities millions while potentially violating state election deadlines. The complaint also asserts that DHS lacks statutory authority to tie grant funding to election-procedure changes without explicit congressional consent. The filing follows a July lawsuit by a coalition of Democratic states raising comparable concerns. FEMA defended the requirements as necessary for election security, anticipating partisan opposition.