U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week escalated tensions with the MTA, threatening to withhold federal funding unless crime in the city’s transit system is addressed.

In a letter sent to the MTA on Tuesday, Duffy requested data on assaults against transit workers, fare evasion and subway-related criminal activity, including subway surfing. He warned that he could take action, including withholding federal funding, if the agency does not comply by March 31.

An MTA spokesperson said the agency is willing to share data with Duffy and noted that transit crime is down 40% compared to the same period in 2020. The MTA also reported that major crimes this year are at their lowest levels for any non-pandemic year in history.

Duffy’s letter comes amid ongoing tension between the federal government and the MTA over the congestion pricing program, which Washington has sought to end.

The federal government has ordered the MTA to shut off the cameras used to charge congestion pricing tolls by Friday, but the agency and the state are challenging the directive in court. Gov. Kathy Hochul has also made the case for congestion pricing in meetings in Washington.

"I was talking about congestion pricing, multiple times and made the case that all the data, you know the perception that it is hurting the city, I challenged. I said ridership is up 10%, people are coming in, sidewalks are packed," Hochul said.

"I am not saying it's not 100% loved yet, but we won over a lot of people when they see, ‘Oh I just shaved up 20 minutes, I shaved up 30 minutes.’ It's astounding with the effects it had," she added.

The MTA receives billions of dollars in federal funding annually to maintain and operate the transit system.