Denver Sues Trump Administration for Illegally Withholding Funding

Denver Sues Trump Administration for Illegally Withholding Funding

Published on October 21, 2025

Mayor Mike Johnston and the City and County of Denver today announced it is joining Chicago, New York, Boston, and several other cities in suing the Trump Administration for imposing unlawful conditions for grant funding.

Denver previously sued the Trump Administration to protect funding from illegal provisions related to civil immigration enforcement. This lawsuit aims to prevent the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from making grant funding contingent on compliance with the administration's stance on DEI.

"President Trump is threatening to strip cities of critical funding for everything from fighting fires to protecting concertgoers at Red Rocks from serious threats," said Mayor Mike Johnston. "These grants have nothing to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion and everything to do with this administration's goal of inserting politics where none belong, and we will continue fighting for the services Denverites are entitled to receive as taxpayers."

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration ceased funding grants under the Securing Our Cities program, which provides cities the resources they need to protect residents from large-scale security threats. Denver sued, and promised funding was restored. However, DHS later made clear that future reimbursements would be made contingent on signing on to the Trump Administration's directives involving DEI. Denver has declined to do so.

Read the lawsuit here.

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