Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore Billions in BRIC Funding

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns ruled on December 11, 2025, that the administration of President Donald Trump unlawfully terminated the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The court found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lacked the authority to end the grant program and divert funds specifically appropriated by Congress, describing the action as an "unlawful executive encroachment" on congressional power.

The ruling follows a lawsuit filed in July by a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia. The administration had halted $3.6 billion in awarded but unpaid funds and canceled $882 million in future grants in April, claiming the program was "wasteful and ineffective." The court ordered FEMA to reverse the termination and restore the funding, which supports nearly 2,000 nationwide projects including flood walls and evacuation shelters.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended the cuts, with a spokesperson characterizing BRIC as a "green new deal slush fund." Secretary Kristi Noem testified that the grants were weaponized for climate change goals. Meanwhile, state attorneys general and Senator Bill Cassidy praised the decision, noting that the funding is critical for protecting lives and infrastructure. In Washington state, the ruling protects nearly $195 million for 27 projects amid historic flooding in the region.