Trump administration ties disaster aid to support for Israel

• The Trump administration now requires states and cities to certify they do not boycott Israeli companies to receive federal disaster preparedness and homeland security funding.
• The rule could affect over $1.9 billion in federal grants, including key programs like the Urban Area Security Initiative, which allocates $553.5 million for terrorism prevention.
• DHS defines a “discriminatory prohibited boycott” as refusing to engage commercially with Israeli companies or those doing business with or licensed by Israel.
• Recipients must certify compliance under penalty of perjury; violations can result in suspended payments, terminated awards and repayment demands.
• The anti-boycott clause is part of broader DHS conditions banning programs that promote DEI initiatives or benefit undocumented immigrants.

The Trump administration has announced a new policy requiring U.S. states and cities to certify they do not boycott Israeli companies to receive federal disaster preparedness funding.

In an updated grant guidelines on Aug. 1, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stated that recipients must pledge not to sever “commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies” to qualify for critical emergency preparedness grants. The new requirement could impact at least $1.9 billion in funding used to support vital services, including search-and-rescue operations, emergency management staff salaries and infrastructure like backup power systems. (Related: Calls to boycott tech company Stripe after CEO posts about recent visit to Israel.)

At least 34 states already have anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) legislation or policies in place, limiting the practical impact of the FEMA requirement for now. However, cities or counties within those states with opposing views on Israel could face tough choices.

Under one grant program, the Urban Area Security Initiative, cities must comply with the new policy to access $553.5 million in terrorism prevention funding. New York City stands to receive the largest portion, $92.2 million, based on FEMA’s assessment of terrorism risk.

“DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said.

DHS bars grant recipients from boycotting Israel under new funding rules

The policy is in line with the DHS’s announcement in April that states and cities receiving its grant funding are prohibited from boycotting Israel.

According to the Fiscal Year 2025 DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, the stipulation prohibits a “discriminatory prohibited boycott,” defined as a refusal to deal with Israeli companies or companies doing business with Israel or those licensed or authorized by the Israeli government. To receive and maintain DHS funding, recipients must certify under penalty of perjury that they do not engage in such boycotts and will not do so during the term of the award. The requirement applies to all federal funds administered by DHS and FEMA, including homeland security and disaster preparedness grants.

By accepting the award, recipients certify that they do not and will not operate programs that engage in discriminatory boycotts against Israel or Israeli-affiliated companies. If a recipient is found to have violated this clause, DHS reserves the right to suspend payments, terminate awards and demand the return of any disbursed funds.

The anti-boycott clause appears in Section XVII of the DHS conditions under the heading “Anti-Discrimination,” alongside prohibitions on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and operating any programs that benefit undocumented immigrants.

Visit WWIII.news for more stories related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Watch this clip of BDS protesters removing products that support Israel from grocery shelves in Northern Ireland.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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ALONE IN THE DESERT: South Africa, Chad join DIPLOMATIC BOYCOTT of Israel, adding to the growing list of countries protesting against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Turkey’s Erdogan warns of “spiral of violence” in phone call with Israel’s Herzog.

Sources include:

InformationLiberation.com

USAToday.com

DHS.gov

Brighteon.com