Welcome back to The Weekly Wrap, our Friday roundup of stories that explain the problems oppressing people in cities and elevate the solutions that bring us closer to economic, environmental and social justice.

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Millions Could Lose Support For Housing Under the Trump Admin’s Unpublished Rule

Up to 4 million people throughout the U.S. will lose federal housing support under the Trump administration, according to two unpublished rules obtained by ProPublica. The rules proposed for the Department of Housing and Urban Development could lead to more restrictions for receiving federal housing assistance.

These restrictions – currently labeled as drafts – include stricter work requirements and stripping assistance from entire families if only one member of that household entered the U.S. illegally. The push for these rules for HUD are part of the administration’s plan to cut funding for public housing by more than 40%, ProPublica reports. If approved, these changes will devastate vulnerable communities; many who currently receive support are disabled, children or elderly.

The White House’s New Order Defines Dissent as Domestic Terrorism

President Trump recently signed a memorandum that pushes the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate networks and organizations with dissenting and seemingly left-leaning ideologies, Time reports.

The language in the order is broad, but directs the JTTF to monitor groups that have ideologies that are considered anti-capitalism, anti-American or anti-Christian. Experts worry that this could increase the number of American citizens that will be under federal scrutiny for their ideologies. The White House claims that this is an effort to deter criminal activity, but watchdogs including the ACLU say the order could target and even silence activists and social justice nonprofits.

The memo comes as the current far-right administration has cracked down on left-leaning ideology in the wake of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s murder, with some leaders claiming that progressives fuel political violence despite research showing right-wing terrorism is more common in America.

Trump Wants to Use “Dangerous” Cities as Military Training Grounds

President Trump has suggested that military leaders use U.S. cities as training grounds for soldiers as part of his months-long crackdown on crime in Democrat-led areas, The Hill reports.

“They’re very unsafe places, and we’re going to straighten them out one by one … That’s a war, too. It’s a war from within,” Trump said during a meeting with top generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia. “I told [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth], we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military — National Guard, but our military, because we’re going into Chicago very soon.”

This comes as the president has continued to threaten to send troops to major cities including Chicago and Portland, Oregon. State and local officials have denounced the move to send in troops, calling the move an autocratic tactic that punishes opposition.

The EPA Can’t Protect Our Air and Water During a Shutdown

With a government shutdown in effect and no relief on the horizon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may struggle to protect clean air and water throughout the country. Former EPA officials worry that major polluters may use this as a chance to dump chemicals into our environment without having to worry about government oversight, the Associated Press reports.

“If your water tastes off later this week, there will be no one at EPA to pick up the phone,” Biden-era EPA official Marc Boom tells the Associated Press. Hotlines that allow citizens to ask questions or report concerns will likely not be functioning. Though some agency employees are required to keep working, significant budget and staff cuts could have lowered those on call during this shutdown.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown in Trump’s first term, about 200 coal-fired power plants throughout the U.S. increased their particulate matter emissions, one study published this month found.

NYC’s Subway Had Its Safest Summer In Years. Could Trump Cuts Reverse That?

New York City’s 24-hour subway system saw its safest summer in recorded history, apart from the start of the pandemic. But police officials have warned that federal cuts to counterterrorism could reverse this, Gothamist reports.

NYPD officials say the federal government could remove about $80 million a year from the agency’s counterterrorism programs. Though its counterterrorism programs have been controversial due to civil rights and surveillance concerns, this summer saw a 5% drop in crime on the subway, and July, August and September set individual records for low crime aside from initial pandemic years.

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the Department of Homeland Security earlier this week to stop the budget cuts. The cuts come as federal transportation authorities have criticized public transit agencies nationwide for an “epidemic of violence and homelessness.”

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MORE NEWS

• Hundreds of Americans have been charged with “pregnancy” crimes over incidents like miscarriages since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Truthout

• Here’s what happens when people in need are given money…but in cryptocurrency instead of cash. Bloomberg

• Thanks to this nonprofit, 900 home bakers stepped up to help a food bank near Seattle. Associated Press

• Trump canceled 94 million pounds of food aid. Here’s what never arrived. ProPublica

• Trump admin halts funding for infrastructure projects in NYC, claiming that minority contracts are unconstitutional. Gothamist

• A transitional tiny home for unhoused people is shutting down due to Denver budget cuts. Denver7

• Mississippi’s high infant mortality is now a public health emergency. NPR

• A group of volunteers install benches throughout Spokane’s public transit system. The Spokesman-Review

• New York State helped relocate migrants, but ICE raids are reversing months of progress for immigrant families. NY Focus

• Federal judge stops the Trump administration from removing FEMA funding from more than 10 states. Smart Cities Dive

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Project for Public Spaces is accepting applications from nonprofits and public agencies seeking to transform a street or mobility hub into a community gathering place that improves street safety and mobility in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. Apply by Oct. 13.

• Voqal Partners is accepting applications from community social justice leaders who are passionate about solutions for inequality throughout the U.S. Attend an info session Oct 14 and apply by Oct. 31.

• Envision Resilience is offering funding to university-affiliated design studios to support curricula centered on adaptive design solutions to the challenges of a warming planet in their communities. Apply by Oct. 17.

• Check out Next City’s jobs board for new opportunities.

EVENTS

• Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. Central: Data centers have arrived in the Midwest. Will the AI boom derail or drive clean energy goals? Experts from the Environmental Law & Policy Center discuss.

• Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. Eastern: The Urban Institute, MEF Associates and the Adjacent Possible host a webinar on strategies for coordination and integration across human services agencies.

• Oct. 23 1 p.m. Eastern: Join authors Michaela M. Leslie-Rule and Jennifer Breheny Wallace as they discuss the challenges young people in the country face as they transition into adulthood.

• Check out events from Next City and our partners here!

This post was originally published on Next City.