New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined 20 attorneys general in suing the U.S. Department of Justice over new restrictions that threaten to withhold critical funding for crime victims unless states comply with federal immigration enforcement.
At the center of the case is the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), a program established over four decades ago that provides nearly $1.4 billion annually to states for victim services.
Funded entirely by fines and penalties from federal criminal cases, VOCA grants cover a wide range of needs. From medical care and counseling to funeral expenses, relocation costs, court transportation, rape kits and crisis hotlines.
“The federal government is attempting to use crime victim funds as a bargaining chip to force states into doing its bidding on immigration enforcement,” said Attorney General James.
The dollars also sustain more than 250 community-based organizations across New York. Many of them are the only providers of emergency services in rural counties.
The Justice Department’s new conditions would require states to give Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to facilities, share advance notice of release dates, alongside honoring all immigration enforcement requests. States that refuse risk losing their VOCA funding altogether.
For New York, more than $212 million is on the line. Advocates warn that losing this funding would devastate local victim support programs, forcing shelters, counseling centers and crisis hotlines to scale back or shut down, leaving countless survivors without access to lifesaving services.
Many fear immigrant communities would be hardest hit, erasing years of trust built between survivors and service providers, making it more difficult for victims and witnesses to come forward without fear of deportation.
The coalition of attorneys general argues that the DOJ’s demands violate the Constitution by overstepping congressional authority, undermining state public safety policies, and unlawfully tying victim assistance dollars to immigration enforcement.
“These grants were created to help survivors heal and recover, and we will fight to ensure they continue to serve that purpose. New Yorkers deserve a justice system that puts their safety first. We will not be bullied into abandoning any of our residents,” Attorney General James continued to say.
The lawsuit asks the court to strike down the new conditions so that states can continue using VOCA funds for their intended purpose: helping crime victims heal, seek justice and rebuild their lives.
Joining New York in the legal action are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
