Twenty states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Monday against the Department of Justice, challenging new conditions on federal crime victim grants tied to immigration enforcement. The rule, first added under the Trump administration, bars funding for programs that “violate or facilitate the violation” of immigration law, including those refusing to honor Homeland Security requests.
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island, argues the rule is unlawful since the federal Victims of Crime Act does not authorize immigration-related conditions. States contend they must either forfeit vital aid for victims or accept what they call unconstitutional federal overreach.
Plaintiffs include mostly Democratic-led states such as California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Colorado. Collectively, they receive more than $500 million annually from the program, which supports shelters, hotlines, and counseling services. New York Attorney General Letitia James accused the federal government of using crime victim funds “as a bargaining chip” for immigration enforcement.
The Justice Department declined to comment. Supporters of the rule argue sanctuary laws hinder deportations, while critics say such measures erode trust between immigrants and police.
Earlier this year, the DOJ also cut grants to nonprofits under the Violence Against Women Act that promoted diversity or gender programs, though a federal judge blocked that restriction.
Sources:
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CBS News
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