Governor Kathy Hochul has called on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release federal funding for New York’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), citing concerns about public safety following a mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan earlier this week.
In a letter addressed to Secretary Kristi Noem, Hochul emphasized the importance of UASI funding for the New York Police Department’s intelligence operations and surge capacity when new threats arise. The funding also supports security efforts across Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties.
According to Hochul, “Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $156.1 million for New York in 2024 — would make New Yorkers less safe at a time when New York City remains a high-level target for acts of targeted violence. New York City, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, City of Yonkers, and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties all received awards through this funding.”
The Governor referenced Monday’s shooting in Manhattan that resulted in four deaths, including an NYPD officer. She noted that the suspect traveled from Nevada to carry out the attack.
Hochul wrote: “As Governor, my top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe. For decades, New York has partnered with the federal government, your agency specifically, to resource homeland security and counter terrorism efforts in New York City and across New York State.”
She further stated: “Your Department has long recognized that densely populated urban areas constitute a specific and unique target for acts of terrorism and targeted violence, and that there are unique needs and challenges to securing them safely. However, under your watch the Department of Homeland Security has failed to release the funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).”
Hochul cited a memo from Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson recommending elimination of UASI funds. The memo acknowledged that such cuts would lead to “a less secure nation, especially at the border and in some of the nation’s most targeted cities, including Miami, Washington DC, and Dallas…”. Hochul argued that “New York City is this nation’s most targeted city when it comes to terrorism threats.”
She continued: “Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $553 million in 2024, $156.1 million of which went to New York — would make New Yorkers less safe, hamstring the NYPD’s efforts to confront terrorist threats, and reduce intelligence information sharing across local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. This funding has been critical to building intelligence analysis capacity within the NYPD, enabling surge capacity when new threats are identified, and allowing the NYPD to provide federal law enforcement partners with intelligence collection and analysis capacity during large National Special Security events — all goals that until recently we were confident our federal partners shared with us.”
On Monday—the same day as the latest attack—Homeland Security released several preparedness grants expected earlier in May but did not include UASI funds.
Hochul concluded her letter by urging immediate action: “Further delays in the release of UASI will degrade our nation’s ability to protect our urban centers including our ability to keep New Yorkers safe. I urge you to fulfill your duty to protect all Americans and to release UASI funding immediately.”
