Hochul Accuses Trump of 'Defunding Police' by Withholding $87 Million in Counterterrorism Funding

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized a $187 million cut to New York's Homeland Security Grant Program funding, while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's department and ICE officials defended recent immigration enforcement actions in the state, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Hochul said the Trump administration owes New York $87 million in withheld counterterrorism funding, calling it a threat to police, fire and National Guard resources; the state's Homeland Security Grant Program allocation was cut by $187 million, an 86 percent reduction, though Trump pledged in September to restore full funding. The news conference followed Hochul signing a law barring state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal officials on civil immigration detention orders. DHS Secretary Mark Mullen said the department's Operation Rotten Apple made over 2,100 arrests in the past 30 days, including individuals with convictions for kidnapping, murder and rape, and criticized New York's sanctuary policies as obstructing cooperation with federal law enforcement. Mamdani defended New York City's sanctuary status, saying the policies encourage residents to report crimes to local police regardless of immigration status. Hochul disputed DHS's arrest figures, saying the agency broadly labels anyone who crossed the border illegally as a criminal, a characterization Mullen rejected, saying federal law is enforced regardless of an individual's criminal record.