By Liz Nass
Gongwer News Service
Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 21 other attorneys general on Tuesday in filing a lawsuit to block the implementation of new conditions on grants from the Victims of Crime Act.
President Donald Trump’s administration is requiring states to comply with immigration enforcement to access congressionally funded grants that are used to support victims and survivors of crime.
“Without crucial support services to offer victims of heinous crimes, they’re much less likely to pursue a criminal prosecution to hold their attackers accountable and make our communities safer.” Nessel said in a statement. “The Trump administration pretends to care about fighting crime, but their actions tell a different story. This attempted funding cut is not just illegal – it’s dangerous for society. I will not sit back and allow this administration to further harm some of our most vulnerable residents in their time of greatest need.”
The Victims of Crime Act, signed in 1984, created grant programs to provide resources and services to victims to restore normalcy to their loves such as witness advocacy services, emergency shelter, medical, funeral and burial expenses, crime scene cleanup and sexual assault forensic exams. These grants total more than $1 billion nationwide per year.
The state received between $27 and $43 million each year for the past five years. The funds are used by 115 victim service organizations throughout the state.
Through the U.S. Department of Justice, the administration said that in order to receive these funds the states have to assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s civil immigration enforcement efforts, which is a federal responsibility, according to the suit.
The states argue that this conflicts with overall “American governance including the separation of powers” and the fact that the Congress did not authorize the DOJ to impose new conditions on the grant money. The coalition is asking the court to permanently block the administration from implementing these conditions.
This is the 31st lawsuit Nessel has filed against the Trump administration since January.
Gongwer News Service
Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 21 other attorneys general on Tuesday in filing a lawsuit to block the implementation of new conditions on grants from the Victims of Crime Act.
President Donald Trump’s administration is requiring states to comply with immigration enforcement to access congressionally funded grants that are used to support victims and survivors of crime.
“Without crucial support services to offer victims of heinous crimes, they’re much less likely to pursue a criminal prosecution to hold their attackers accountable and make our communities safer.” Nessel said in a statement. “The Trump administration pretends to care about fighting crime, but their actions tell a different story. This attempted funding cut is not just illegal – it’s dangerous for society. I will not sit back and allow this administration to further harm some of our most vulnerable residents in their time of greatest need.”
The Victims of Crime Act, signed in 1984, created grant programs to provide resources and services to victims to restore normalcy to their loves such as witness advocacy services, emergency shelter, medical, funeral and burial expenses, crime scene cleanup and sexual assault forensic exams. These grants total more than $1 billion nationwide per year.
The state received between $27 and $43 million each year for the past five years. The funds are used by 115 victim service organizations throughout the state.
Through the U.S. Department of Justice, the administration said that in order to receive these funds the states have to assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s civil immigration enforcement efforts, which is a federal responsibility, according to the suit.
The states argue that this conflicts with overall “American governance including the separation of powers” and the fact that the Congress did not authorize the DOJ to impose new conditions on the grant money. The coalition is asking the court to permanently block the administration from implementing these conditions.
This is the 31st lawsuit Nessel has filed against the Trump administration since January.
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