Governor Kathy Hochul has criticized federal lawmakers for reducing counterterrorism funding allocated to New York’s mass transit system. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) was set to receive $34 million through the Transit Security Grant Program, which supports security and anti-terror efforts in public transportation. However, last week it was announced that the MTA would be the only one among 21 applicants nationwide not to receive this year’s grant.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe, from our streets to our subways, is my highest priority,” said Governor Hochul. “Since 9/11, New York has relied on federal support to ensure that our transit system has the counterterrorism resources it needs to keep millions of riders safe every single day. The shocking actions of Washington Republicans to slash these funds and defund the police put New York City at risk. We will not tolerate these cuts; New York will take every action available to us — including the courts — to ensure the MTA gets this critical funding to keep millions of riders safe.”
The Transit Security Grant Program began after September 11 and is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These grants help protect major transit systems from security threats. The MTA operates a large portion of U.S. mass transit, with over six million daily trips on Metro-North, Long Island Rail Road, and New York City Transit.
This year’s grant was intended for several projects: two cybersecurity initiatives aimed at increasing cyber visibility and protection for key MTA systems; purchasing about 330 tactical cellular cameras; expanding chemical detection systems across nine subway lines and a commuter rail terminal; providing mandated frontline security training for 16,000 employees; deploying MTAPD counterterrorism teams 374 times; acquiring three response vehicles; and installing hundreds of cameras and other security devices at a major subway complex.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber commented, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, MTA has made huge progress on every front – safety, reliability and ridership. It’s truly strange that Washington keeps spinning stories about subway crime, but then defunds the NYPD and MTA cops who patrol the system.”
MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper stated, “I can’t overstate the importance of this grant funding in reinforcing and advancing our counterterrorism initiatives. It significantly enhances our operational capabilities, all with the goal of providing a safe and secure transit environment for our riders and workforce — a responsibility we take seriously every single day.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch added, “The NYPD’s counterterrorism operations are essential to keeping people safe both above ground and below ground on our subways. Withholding these critical funds from the busiest transit system in the country is a profound mistake, and one that will make New York City’s subways meaningfully less safe. Counterterrorism operations – and public safety in general – cannot be politicized, and I thank Governor Hochul for her efforts to ensure the NYPD has the resources it needs to protect New Yorkers.”
After news broke about the funding denial, the Office of the New York Attorney General filed suit in federal court in Manhattan. A Temporary Restraining Order was issued against FEMA’s planned cuts while litigation proceeds. As of now, FEMA has not confirmed whether funding will be restored.
New York State continues its own investments in subway safety measures such as increased NYPD presence—including overnight train patrols—installation of cameras in all subway cars completed last year under Governor Hochul’s direction, new LED lighting at stations, and platform edge barriers at 100 locations.
Recent data shows positive results: Subway crime fell by 31 percent in September compared with September 2024; overall crime so far this year is down by more than four percent compared with last year; summer months saw major crimes drop nearly ten percent from summer 2024—the safest since 2009—and felony assaults declined each month this summer versus last year.
Last week Governor Hochul also secured restoration of $187 million in homeland security funding that had been targeted for cuts by federal authorities—a move she said would have directly affected public safety agencies statewide.
