Maryland Attorney General Joins Coalition to Sue Trump Administration Over Denied Funding for Crime Victims

Strategic Insights -

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has announced that he is joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration for attempting to block access to over $1 billion in funding for victims and survivors of crimes. The administration has imposed conditions on Congressionally-authorized Victims of Crime Act grants, requiring states to support the administration's extreme immigration enforcement efforts in order to receive the funds.

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) was enacted in 1984 and provides funding for various services to assist victims and survivors of crime, including victim and witness advocacy services, emergency shelter, medical expenses, and more. The funding streams total over $1 billion per year nationwide and have been used to assist nearly 9 million crime victims annually. However, the Trump administration has declared that states will be unable to access these funds unless they agree to support the administration's immigration enforcement efforts, which is a federal responsibility.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump administration has attempted to block access to over $1 billion in funding for victims and survivors of crimes through Congressionally-authorized Victims of Crime Act grants.
  • The funding streams are used to assist nearly 9 million crime victims per year, provide compensation for over 200,000 victims' claims annually, and fund various services such as victim and witness advocacy, emergency shelter, and medical expenses.
  • The administration's conditions require states to support extreme immigration enforcement efforts in order to receive the funds, which is a federal responsibility and conflicts with core principles of American governance.
  • Attorney General Brown is joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over the illegal imposition of conditions on the grant programs.
  • The lawsuit seeks to permanently stop the Trump administration from implementing or enforcing the illegal conditions.

Statistics:

  • Over $1 billion per year is allocated to funding streams through the Victims of Crime Act.
  • The funding is used to assist nearly 9 million crime victims annually.
  • The funding provides compensation for over 200,000 victims' claims each year.
  • The Trump administration's conditions aim to block access to these funds for states unless they comply with the administration's immigration enforcement priorities.

Sources:

  • Maryland Attorney General's Office press release, [No date provided].
  • The National Organization for Victim Assistance, [No date provided].
  • 21 Attorneys General, [No date provided], Lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore access to VOCA funding.