Judge Declines Ordering Release of FEMA Funds to Public Broadcasters

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly declined to force the Trump administration to immediately release nearly $2 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to public broadcasters for upgrades to the nation’s emergency alert system. 

The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) on March 13, 2025, which accused FEMA of unlawfully withholding the funds. The CPB argued that the delay, stemming from a funding hold initiated on February 18, 2025, was hampering the ability of federal, state, and local authorities to issue real-time emergency alerts for disasters like flash floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

The funding in question was part of a $40 million grant program called the Next Generation Warning System, designed to help over 40 public media stations upgrade their emergency alerting equipment. The CPB, which channels federal funds to more than 1,500 public radio and television stations, claimed that FEMA’s “hold” status left stations across the country unreimbursed for nearly $1.9 million in expenses already incurred. 

They emphasized that FEMA had been deeply involved in the grant process for nearly three years—approving equipment lists and receiving regular progress reports—making the sudden freeze inexplicable and unjustified.

Judge Kelly, appointed by President Trump during his first term, ruled that the CPB failed to meet the legal burden of proving irreparable harm caused by the delay. 

He denied their request for an immediate court order to compel FEMA to release the funds, effectively allowing the Trump administration to maintain the hold for the time being. Government lawyers defending FEMA denied withholding the funds outright, asserting that the agency was not obstructing the program but rather managing it within its authority.

This case is one of several where the Trump administration has faced accusations of illegally freezing federal funds.