Public Safety
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Chicago, New York mayors vow to fight Trump’s ‘sanctuary’ city funding cuts
“We will be relentless until we restore every dollar that has been withheld by the Trump administration,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 14, 2026 -
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Illinois and Minnesota sue to halt federal immigration enforcement tactics
The lawsuits allege mass ICE and Border Patrol deployments in Chicago and the Twin Cities have undermined public safety, strained municipal resources and violated constitutional limits on federal power.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 13, 2026 -
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Local officials move to hold federal immigration agents accountable after Minneapolis shooting
City and state leaders are launching investigations and public reporting portals and testing new legal tools as they weigh questions about jurisdiction, liability and the limits of federal authority.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 12, 2026 -
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State, federal authorities clash on Minneapolis ICE shooting
The Trump administration has removed the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from investigating the death of a resident during an immigration enforcement surge.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 8, 2026 -
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2026 Trends to Watch8 trends that will shape cities in 2026
As federal funding becomes less predictable, cities face major shifts in transportation, housing and climate resilience in the new year.
By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 8, 2026 -
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2026 Predictions14 predictions about what 2026 may hold for cities
AI, infrastructure needs and shifting mobility patterns will shape how cities function in 2026, experts say.
By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 7, 2026 -
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Court blocks ‘arbitrary and capricious’ changes to FEMA grants
FEMA’s “abrupt change in policy is particularly harmful to local emergency management,” the judge stated.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 6, 2026 -
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2026 Trends to WatchWhat Trump’s National Guard withdrawal means for cities
A Supreme Court ruling blocks deployments for now, but a legal expert says it increases the risk of President Donald Trump invoking the Insurrection Act.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Jan. 5, 2026 -
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Supreme Court blocks National Guard deployment to Chicago
Citing the Posse Comitatus Act, the justices ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration failed to meet its standard for federalizing Guard troops.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 23, 2025 -
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Bill to improve highway-rail crossing safety moves out of US House committee
The legislation would direct states to show how they would work with railroads and other stakeholders to reduce pedestrian deaths and suicides along railroad tracks.
By Dan Zukowski • Dec. 23, 2025 -
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OpinionHow cities are using AI to keep drinking water safe
An important federal deadline for identifying and replacing lead and copper service lines is less than two years away. New technology can help communities meet the LCRI mandates.
By Ajay Sharma • Dec. 22, 2025 -
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Emergency managers, meteorologists push back against breakup of NCAR climate research center
Dismantling the nation’s premier weather and climate institution would have “a horrible impact on the local level,” says the chair of the International Association of Emergency Managers USA Weather Caucus.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 19, 2025 -
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GHSA, Waymo partner on safety training for first responders
As robotaxis expand to cities across the U.S., police, firefighters and EMTs need to learn how to interact with these vehicles safely, the Governors Highway Safety Association says.
By Dan Zukowski • Dec. 18, 2025 -
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FEMALocal governments need to step up as FEMA’s future remains uncertain, experts say
The upheaval in emergency management could ultimately strengthen a long-overlooked profession, former FEMA leaders said Monday during a Carnegie Institute panel.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 16, 2025 -
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Judge blocks federal control of California National Guard
The district court judge says the Trump administration overstepped its authority when it nationalized state troops and sent them across state lines, “effectively creating a national police force.”
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 11, 2025 -
Retrieved from X.
DOJ sues Illinois over law tightening state limits on immigration enforcement
State leaders say the law will curb abuses following high-intensity federal enforcement in Chicago. The Trump administration says it’s unconstitutional.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 23, 2025 -
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3 Supreme Court cases local leaders shouldn’t ignore
Decisions on property seizures, warrantless entry and concealed-carry rules could force policy and procedural changes, experts say.
By Vicky Uhland • Updated Dec. 10, 2025 -
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Drug use on public transit erodes safety and traumatizes staff. A 7-step plan can help cities respond.
A five-city assessment of transit drug use calls for an integrated response that includes naloxone policies, station redesign, better partnerships, stronger outreach models and unified communications.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 9, 2025 -
Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
Minneapolis draws a line on federal immigration tactics
The city is refusing to support federal staging operations and has directed local law enforcement officers to intervene if residents’ rights are violated as ICE agents move into the region.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 5, 2025 -
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OpinionThe Eaton Fire showed us California’s future. Our recovery systems aren’t ready.
Ten months after the fire, many Altadena families remain displaced because permitting, remediation and housing policies are not designed for urban fire disasters. Here’s a road map to address these failures.
By Farid Yaghoubtil • Nov. 21, 2025 -
Permission granted by Livingston County
Investing in next-generation emergency response: 2024 Crown Communities Award
Livingston County, N.Y., turned federal pandemic funds into a regional emergency training asset by building a state-of-the-art fire training tower.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Nov. 17, 2025 -
(2025). "LIVE: Last Mile Report" [Video]. Retrieved from Comptroller Brad Lander/YouTube.
Package delivery has taken a toll on New York City, comptroller says. He’s urging action in response.
Increased traffic collisions, workplace injuries and air pollution are tied to last-mile delivery operations, the comptroller’s report says.
By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 17, 2025 -
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Sponsored by ImprivataHow public safety and justice agencies can simplify CJIS compliance without slowing operations
For many public safety and justice agencies, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance has become a daily balancing act. Learn how agencies can make compliance requirements work in the real world, from a CJIS expert.
Nov. 17, 2025 -
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ICE can access most state driver databases. States have the power to stop it, these federal lawmakers say.
Federal agents can access driver’s license photos and records through a little-understood interstate network, the elected officials said in a letter to governors. Five states have restricted access.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Nov. 14, 2025 -
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Cities sue over DOJ’s bid to tie policing grants to immigration, DEI policies
Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota, claim new conditions on COPS funds violate the 10th Amendment and unlawfully undermine local control. In Chicago, $6.25 million is at stake.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Nov. 13, 2025
