Gov. Kathy Hochul says the federal government is putting the safety of New Yorkers at risk as it withholds hundreds of millions of dollars for emergency management and counterterrorism efforts.

"[Department of Homeland Security] has yet to make funding available to states and local governments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) as it has every year since 2002," Hochul wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem this week.

The governor notes last year New York received $219.9 million in this federal program funding.  

"My job is to focus on public safety," Hochul said at a press conference Friday.

"We rely on the federal government for information, for intelligence and for resources to prepare for events and to then help communities recover from events," said Jackie Bray, commissioner of the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

The grant funding goes toward New York's security efforts, which include deploying the National Guard in the subway system, and to counterterrorism.

In her letter, Hochul notes as New York is home to "the largest Jewish community outside of Israel," the lack of funding puts "New York communities at a greater risk than perhaps anywhere else in the nation."

"If it continues and doesn't get resolved soon, it will contribute to less security for Jewish New Yorkers," said Mitch Silber, executive director of Community Security Initiative, which safeguards the UJA-Federation of New York.

He added, "It's about the highest threat level I've seen since 9/11 in the United States and New York in particular ... So this is causing a lot of heartache and stress given the heightened security situation."

"The administration has said and told CBS News specifically that if somebody thinks money was cut off inappropriately, they will review it, they'll get that money going again, but just that interruption can cause trouble," CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane said.  

CBS News New York asked DHS when the grant money will be made available, but a department spokesperson sidestepped the question, saying in part, "Secretary Noem has directed DHS to implement additional controls to ensure that all grant money going out is consistent with law and does not go to fraud, waste or abuse."