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5d ago

After States Sue, DOJ Drops Immigration Condition on $1.3 Billion in VOCA Grants

The broader rule limiting use of VAWA and Byrne JAG funds remains contested in federal court ahead of its Oct. 31 start date.

Shadows are cast on a sign at the Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
New York Attorney General Letitia James.
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Overview

  • California and other attorneys general said the administration abandoned plans to tie VOCA funding to immigration-related limits on legal services following their multistate lawsuit.
  • A coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to block DOJ’s new “Legal Services” condition.
  • DOJ had notified states they could not use VOCA, VAWA or Byrne JAG funds for legal services to “removable” or otherwise unlawfully present immigrants, applying the rule retroactively.
  • Plaintiffs argue the condition violates the Constitution’s Spending Clause, conflicts with VOCA/VAWA regulations, and is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.
  • Advocates warn mandatory immigration-status screening would deter survivors from seeking help and could wrongly deny services even to citizens and lawful residents without documents.