A federal judge in the United States has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a policy that would have tied the distribution of federal counterterrorism grants to compliance with certain election-related requirements.

The ruling followed a legal challenge by states and local authorities that argued the federal government lacked the authority to impose election conditions on funding intended for security and public safety programmes.

According to court documents, the disputed policy sought to make access to counterterrorism and homeland security grants dependent on adherence to specific election administration measures promoted by the federal government.

The judge ruled that the administration could not withhold or condition the grants while the legal challenge continues, allowing affected jurisdictions to retain access to the funding.

Opponents of the policy argued that election administration is primarily the responsibility of state and local governments and that linking security funding to election rules amounted to an overreach of federal authority.

Supporters of the administration’s position maintained that the measures were intended to strengthen election integrity and improve public confidence in the electoral process.

The decision represents the latest in a series of court rulings examining the scope of federal authority over election-related matters ahead of upcoming elections in the United States.

Legal proceedings are expected to continue as the courts consider the broader constitutional and administrative questions raised by the case.