The U.S. Department of Justice is abandoning plans requiring states cooperate with federal immigration enforcement if they want federal funding that helps crime victims, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement Oct. 6.
Kaul was one of 20 state attorneys general to sign onto a lawsuit in August, arguing the Trump administration’s decision to block access to Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, grants was unlawful.
Kaul said the U.S. DOJ is no longer restricting access to nearly $1.4 billion in VOCA grants nationwide and more than $24 million in federal funding for victim service programs in Wisconsin.
The U.S. DOJ didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“This is funding that helps make a difference for victims of crime,” Kaul said in a statement. “The Trump administration shouldn’t have tried to tie states’ access to this funding to their assistance with immigration enforcement.”
VOCA grants help nearly 9 million crime victims each year. VOCA grants have historically supported advocates who accompany victims to court, answer hotlines, run emergency shelters, provide safety planning and offer other services.
Nationally, VOCA funds have declined steadily since 2018. The pool of money comes from fines and penalties collected in federal criminal court cases. Congress addressed the funding formula in so-called “VOCA Fix” legislation in 2021, but it will take years before the fund is fully replenished, if at all.
Ashley Luthern contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: DOJ ends Trump-era rule tying victim funds to immigration enforcement
