Overview
- The Justice Department entered a binding stipulation that its new “Legal Services Condition” will not apply to current VOCA Victim Assistance and VAWA awards.
- Nineteen states and the District of Columbia then voluntarily dismissed their Rhode Island suit without prejudice, preserving the ability to refile.
- The department had told states in August that grants could not cover legal services for immigrants unlawfully present in the United States.
- VOCA and VAWA funds support legal help for protective orders, custody and housing, as well as shelters and crisis services, with California citing more than $160 million this year.
- DOJ continued to defend its broader authority to impose grant conditions, leaving unresolved questions about future policies beyond these programs.