The Trump administration has taken steps to ensure that federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds are used responsibly and in line with federal law. At the center of the dispute is whether jurisdictions that decline to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, commonly referred to as sanctuary jurisdiction, should continue receiving millions in federal victim-assistance grants while refusing to assist with basic law enforcement coordination.
The Department of Justice has moved to attach immigration-related conditions to VOCA funding, requiring states and localities to provide notice to federal authorities when individuals who are in the country unlawfully are in custody, and to grant access to detention facilities. These measures are intended to strengthen public safety and prevent the release of dangerous individuals back into communities, while still ensuring that resources for crime victims are preserved.
A coalition of Democratic attorneys general, including Delaware, AG, Kathleen Jennings, filed suit to block the policy, arguing the conditions fall outside the scope of the program. Despite their objections, the administration has maintained that the conditions are both lawful and necessary, ensuring taxpayer dollars are not distributed without accountability. Supporters of the policy contend that tying victim-assistance grants to cooperation with federal law makes sense, because crime victims are not served when offenders are shielded from immigration enforcement and allowed to re-offend.
The legal challenge, filed in a federal court in Rhode Island, highlights a clash between state officials who oppose immigration enforcement measures and a federal government committed to upholding the rule of law. The outcome will determine whether states that limit cooperation with federal authorities can continue to access VOCA funding without meeting the same standards as other jurisdictions.
By reinforcing immigration cooperation as a condition of funding, the administration aims to put public safety first, ensuring that resources for victims of crime are not undermined by policies that protect those who break the law.
