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Court Rejects Bid to Block DOJ’s $800 Million Grant Cuts

The ruling clears the way for the Justice Department’s funding shift toward law enforcement paired with expanded victim services.

FILE - The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a press conference, May 6, 2025, at the Justice Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
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Overview

  • Judge Amit Mehta described the mid-cycle rescissions as “shameful” and warned they will harm communities vulnerable to crime.
  • The Office of Justice Programs canceled over $800 million in April to refocus grants on law enforcement operations, violent crime response and support for trafficking and sexual assault victims.
  • Five nonprofits filed the suit on May 21 seeking class status to represent more than 360 affected grant recipients and alleging due process and separation-of-powers violations.
  • The Justice Department countered that the case is a routine contract dispute that belongs in the Court of Federal Claims rather than federal district court.
  • Affected organizations have reported layoffs, program closures and lost partnerships, and plaintiffs are expected to pursue appeals despite the jurisdictional ruling.