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When It Comes to D.E.I. and ICE, Trump Is Using Federal Grants as Leverage

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When It Comes to D.E.I. and ICE, Trump Is Using Federal Grants as Leverage

During President Trump’s first months in office, officials in his administration have used the threat of withholding federal funding to bend institutions and municipalities to their ideological will.

That strategy shows no signs of abating.

The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing billions of dollars in grants for cities and states to make sure recipients comply with Mr. Trump’s priorities on immigration enforcement and diversity programs.

Now grant beneficiaries must “honor requests for cooperation, such as participation in joint operations, sharing of information or requests for short-term detention of an alien pursuant to a valid detainer,” according to the terms and conditions for grants distributed by the department.

The terms and conditions, which were first released last October and quietly updated in late March, also mandate that those who receive grants “will provide access to detainees, such as when an immigration officer seeks to interview a person who might be a removable alien.”

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“I see it as the beginning of the reshaping of our national emergency management infrastructure,” said Mark Ghilarducci, who previously served as California’s state emergency services director. “Now it will be based upon ideology versus what is the actual need.”

The changes likely imperil tens of billions of dollars in grants to states and cities that have rules limiting cooperation with officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he said.

The review of the federal grants is the latest reminder that Mr. Trump does not view federal funding to bolster police departments or help communities recover from disasters as support that comes without strings attached. Instead, he uses federal grants as leverage against state and local governments to ensure compliance with his political agenda.

One criterion is whether certain locales are sanctuary jurisdictions, which broadly refers to cities and counties that block their local jails from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

ICE prefers to pick up undocumented immigrants from local lockups, but in order to do so, it needs collaboration from county sheriffs. In some cities and counties, this collaboration is outright blocked or severely limited.

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Peter Gaynor, who served as FEMA administrator and briefly as acting U.S. secretary of homeland security during Mr. Trump’s first term, saw these changes as in line with the priorities the president has set out.

“This is the way they are going to operate,” Mr. Gaynor said. “The administration is going to, from time to time, check you to make sure that you’re compliant with the federal grant guidance.”

“You don’t have to accept the money,” he added. “You can decline the money. I think that’s part of the formula here.”

California and some of its cities and counties have laws against cooperating with ICE. Now local governments and community organizations are at risk of losing billions of dollars because of the change in D.H.S. policy, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom.

The department normally provides grants that support a variety of public safety services, including police, fire and emergency response as well as programs to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault.

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“These are grants that are critical to prepare for the next disaster and help keep communities safe,” Mr. Ferguson said.

It is unknown exactly how much money is at risk in California or which cities, counties or community groups may lose grants, he said.

“Like much of the work that’s happening at the federal level, we’re working to understand what exactly it means on an implementation level,” Mr. Ferguson said.

Officials in New York and other states expressed similar fears and uncertainty. The office of Attorney General Letitia James of New York was aware of the updated guidance and reviewing it. Like in California, billions of dollars in grants could be on the chopping block.

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have already identified nearly $1 billion in funding they think should be cut and another almost $4 billion that is being reviewed, according to a memo reviewed by The New York Times.

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Some funding — like $80 million from FEMA to New York City for migrant shelters — was clawed back this winter. The money for these beds came from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program. Now federal officials want to cancel about $887 million in grants from that program.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said that the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, “has directed FEMA to implement additional controls to ensure that all grant money going out is consistent with law and does not go to fraud, waste or abuse.”

“The open borders gravy train is over, and there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,” Ms. McLaughlin added.

Another program under review involves nearly $2 billion in grants to law enforcement agencies, cities and states to help themselves prepare and respond to terrorist attacks. In the fiscal year ending in October, entities in New York received close to $320 million from this program.

Avi Small, the press secretary for Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, pointed out in a statement that “the federal government has issued multiple orders, directives and guidance that were later overturned in court or rescinded by the administration.”

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“We have received this guidance, which could have significant fiscal impacts for disaster relief and other critical state functions, and are assessing our options moving forward,” he added.

Last week, the New York State Education Department said it would not go along with the Trump administration’s threats to pull federal funding from public schools over certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The updated terms and conditions from D.H.S. for grantees includes new requirements in this area as well.

During Mr. Trump’s first term, his administration fought in court to withhold millions of dollars from law enforcement agencies in states and cities that did not cooperate with his immigration agenda. A federal judge ultimately overturned the executive order issued by Mr. Trump that withheld federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions.

After wildfires erupted in California in 2018, Mr. Trump said on social media that he had ordered FEMA to “send no more money” unless the state changed its approach to forest management.

Mr. Trump has threatened on multiple occasions to withhold money from California, including earlier this year as parts of Los Angeles were ravaged by wildfires. He said that he would help but that he first wanted the state to impose voter identification laws and change its environmental policies.

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On Friday, Trump officials were admonished by a federal judge for not complying with an order the judge had issued in early March to unfreeze billions in FEMA funds in at least 19 states. The Times reported last month that freezing of funds had caused chaos for state, local and nonprofits officials who were trying to respond to natural disasters.

Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the Federal District Court in Rhode Island said on Friday that he thought the funding hold was a “covert” means to punish places with laws that prohibit cooperation with immigration officials.

“Trump has declared war against the American economy and our allies around the world,” said Jason Elliott, who previously served as Mr. Newsom’s deputy chief of staff. “Now American states, with millions of people who voted for him, are the target of his war against common sense.

“His funding threats against states, for nothing but political purposes, will directly harm millions of red voters in those purple and blue states.”

Laurel Rosenhall contributed reporting from Sacramento.

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Judge Zahid Quraishi Ejects New Jersey Federal Prosecutor From Court, Orders Testimony on Office Leadership Structure

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Judge Zahid Quraishi Ejects New Jersey Federal Prosecutor From Court, Orders Testimony on Office Leadership Structure

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MR. ROSENBLUM: He is not personally supervising anything to do with this case.

THE COURT: The office, I’m talking about.

The

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represent are running it, that are the leaders of the U.S. Attorneys Office that are operating it, is the exact same triumvirate, Ms. Fox and Mr. Lamparello and Mr. Fontecchio,
the same triumvirate that Judge Brann ruled was unlawful,

9 right?

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MR. ROSENBLUM: Correct, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Okay.

All right. Well, I’m going require their testimony, as

I directed before. I’m going to schedule a hearing in two

14 weeks. I will determine the date and time later this

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afternoon. I will text order it, but I’m going to require the testimony of this triumvirate. So all three, Ms. Fox, Mr. Lamparello, and Mr. Fontecchio will testify. They will be sequestered. Just to be clear, they will be sequestered.
19 They will not be sitting in this courtroom listening to each 20 other testify, and they’re going to answer my questions about who is running this office and how.

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And then we will have a proper factual record, I believe, for me to then determine if I need legal briefing on how you can proceed with this sentencing hearing, or I might be able to just make the determination after I have that

United States District Court
District of New Jersey

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Video: Fast-Moving Fire in Queens Kills 4, Including a Child

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Video: Fast-Moving Fire in Queens Kills 4, Including a Child

new video loaded: Fast-Moving Fire in Queens Kills 4, Including a Child

transcript

transcript

Fast-Moving Fire in Queens Kills 4, Including a Child

Fierce winds fueled a blaze in a mixed-use building on Monday, killing four people and injuring 12 others, officials said.

I can tell you that the Fire Department did an extraordinary job under difficult circumstances, putting this fire out and saving people. I can’t thank them enough for their continued efforts and commitment to life safety.

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Fierce winds fueled a blaze in a mixed-use building on Monday, killing four people and injuring 12 others, officials said.

By Jamie Leventhal and Jackie Molloy

March 16, 2026

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How an Artist Lives on $36,000 a Year on the Upper West Side

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How an Artist Lives on ,000 a Year on the Upper West Side

How can people possibly afford to live in one of the most expensive cities on the planet? It’s a question New Yorkers hear a lot, often delivered with a mix of awe, pity and confusion.

We surveyed hundreds of New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save. We found that many people — rich, poor or somewhere in between — live life as a series of small calculations that add up to one big question: What makes living in New York worth it?

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“I’m really lucky,” Gaya Palmer said, sitting in the cheerful kitchen of the 380-square-foot studio apartment she moved into around 1972. She has had many different jobs — she even drove a cab for a year — and currently describes herself as an artist, jewelry designer, novelty product designer, voice-over artist, songwriter, short story author and children’s book writer.

Her luck comes in the form of a rent-stabilized apartment in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan. When she signed the lease, she paid around $215 a month. Now, her rent is $977.

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Sure, she had to do some plastering and painting herself when she moved in, and a mouse once lived in the oven, but she’s got 11-foot ceilings, a huge window and a little patio. Her income is around $36,000 a year, with $4,000 being withdrawn annually from 401(k) accounts and the rest from Social Security.

She loves the community she has built. “I was born when I came to New York City,” she said. She knows just about everyone on her street and has friends all over town. Plus, her sister lives in the building next door. “That’s the gift of the landlord gods,” she said.

She is energized by being around other creative New Yorkers each day and acknowledges that affordable rent makes it possible.

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“The invisible vitality of New York City is the creative force of artists, actors and writers,” she said. “If you take away rent-stabilized apartments, you’re going to end up with a bunch of boring suits walking around looking for where the next bank is going to open.”

A Custom Space, Decades in the Making

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Ms. Palmer’s red, black and white apartment is impeccably organized, with everything in its place. “I’m a double Virgo,” she explained. Last year, she and her unique space starred in a video that was widely shared on social media.

Quite a bit of Ms. Palmer’s furniture was found on the street, although she bought the three dressers in her living room at Housing Works for $150.

She has polka-dot seating made from foam cushions that sit on plywood boxes, with storage inside. The seats were custom-built by a gentleman who is no longer in the picture, whom she referred to as “Mr. Wrong.”

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The building was constructed in the 1880s, and her apartment used to be the front parlor. Ms. Palmer, 76, sleeps in a loft bed in what is technically a hallway. Her father built the wood bed about 40 years ago.

“I call it heaven because it is heavenly, it’s soft — the bed is like all foam — and comfortable,” she said. “In the winter it’s cozy, in the summer my air-conditioner is right above.” Plus, she added, “I have a library up there.”

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No Need for a Dishwasher

Underneath the sleep loft is her workstation, where she creates jewelry and kinetic wall sculptures. She sells her creations on her website and keeps the business side of things running by paying for services like Google One storage for $10 and Canva for $13.

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There are no laundry facilities in the building, so she carts her clothes, towels, sheets and comforters to a laundromat a few blocks away, where it’s about $45 to get everything cleaned and dried.

And Ms. Palmer doesn’t live alone. She has Betty, a 13-year-old rescue Chihuahua whom she adopted about three years ago. Betty sees the vet every couple of months, which costs about $90, and goes through a lot of kibble, at around $25 a month.

Ms. Palmer’s efficient kitchen includes a bar made from a repurposed bookcase that she found on the street and a compact, counter-height refrigerator. “Thank goodness it doesn’t hold ice cream,” she joked. It does, however, hold Boursin cheese, one of her favorite foods. “It’s $10 at Fairway,” she said, “so I go to Trader Joe’s — it’s $5.”

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There’s a sign in her kitchen that reads, in all capital letters, “YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR LIFE.” She took it from the wall of a poolside bar in the Dominican Republic, years ago, and considers it her central ethos.

She doesn’t dream of having a dishwasher, a doorman or other luxury amenities. “I’m grateful, thankful, joyful that I have a roof over my head,” she said.

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“My home is my mansion,” she said, “and I don’t need anything more than this.”

Out and About

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Ms. Palmer has a standing monthly lunch date with a close friend; they always go to Cafe Luxembourg. “We meet at 2:30, and we leave after the candles are brought out for dinner,” she said.

Ms. Palmer usually orders a burger, a couple of cosmopolitans and a hot fudge sundae, spending around $125, including the tip. “They have the best burger in New York City,” Ms. Palmer insisted. “Even my sister-in-law from Ohio said it was the best burger she’s ever had.”

Her friends invite her to Broadway shows and events at Lincoln Center. She also loves to visit the Museum of Modern Art ($22) because creativity is central to her life. She used to work as a lead document processing operator at large law firms. “I still would come home and make art because I had to have that balance,” she said. “Once I resigned, I was able to make art all the time.”

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Sometimes she stays in and reads, or watches the news, home decorating shows or detective shows. Her Spectrum cable TV bill is around $87, and she pays $83 for YouTube TV.

Every now and then, she takes a $25 cab instead of the subway or walking. She doesn’t shop much. She hasn’t traveled out of the country in a few years. But if she sold a large piece of artwork and had an extra $1,500, she would spend it on a trip, maybe to Rio, she said.

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In the meantime, she often hosts friends for wine and cheese. And just the other day, her apartment was the setting for a spontaneous dance party with some Juilliard students she’d run into.

She can’t imagine living anywhere else. If she were back in Ohio, where she grew up, she said: “I’d have a husband that I’d be divorced from by now, and I’d be mowing the lawn.”

“That’s not a life I want,” she said.

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“When I wake up, if I can stand up — and I’m standing up and I’m in New York City — that’s all that’s important,” she said. “I’m vertical and I’m in New York.”

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