NJ Leads 21-State Lawsuit Against Trump-Era Restrictions on Crime Victim Grants

Attorney General Platkin challenges federal conditions tying VOCA grants to immigration enforcement cooperation

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has announced that New Jersey is leading a 21-state coalition in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over what the states allege are illegal conditions placed on Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants—federal funds that support services for crime victims nationwide.

Filed in coordination with Attorneys General from California, Delaware, Illinois, and Rhode Island, the lawsuit seeks to block a policy issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) during the Trump Administration. The policy would restrict states from receiving VOCA grants—amounting to over $1 billion nationally each year—unless they cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The coalition argues that this condition exceeds federal authority, interferes with state sovereignty, and violates Congressional intent. VOCA, first enacted in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, was designed to fund a range of services for crime victims, including emergency shelter, funeral costs, forensic exams, and crime scene cleanups. States rely on these grants to support nearly 9 million victims annually and process more than 200,000 victim compensation claims.

The lawsuit contends that Congress has consistently required that VOCA funds be distributed to states through fixed statutory formulas—without immigration-related requirements. According to the complaint, the USDOJ's new conditions represent a coercive effort to force states to adopt federal immigration policies, infringing upon principles of federalism and separation of powers.

“New Jerseyans who have been victimized by serious crime are now being mistreated by their own federal government as the Trump Administration attempts to block funding for advocacy services, sexual assault forensic exams, medical and funeral expenses, and other critical resources in their time of need,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Playing politics with the lives of people who have suffered so greatly is reckless, it is cruel, and in this case – it is illegal. We are filing suit today to stand up for our residents, and for the law, which prevents these unlawful conditions on Congressionally-authorized funding. We look forward to blocking these conditions and preventing further harms to crime victims.”

The coalition is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction to prevent the federal government from enforcing these conditions.

In New Jersey, the case is being handled by Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum, Deputy Solicitor General Shankar Duraiswamy, Assistant Attorney General Mayur P. Saxena, and a team of Deputy Attorneys General.

In addition to the lead states, the lawsuit includes support from Attorneys General representing Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.