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NY attorney general sues DOJ over funding cuts for crime survivors who cannot prove immigration status
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 1, 2025
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By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 1, 2025
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New York state Attorney General Letitia James is trying to stop the Trump administration from using immigration status to determine access to federally funded services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
If the court does not act, the new rules could silence some of the most vulnerable survivors of these crimes once they take effect on Oct. 31, James and the other attorneys general argue in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Programs such as the Violence Against Women Act, the Victims of Crime Act and Byrne Justice Assistance Grants have, for years, covered a range of services, including legal representation for protective orders and assistance with relocation and medical bills.
Those funds had been available regardless of immigration status until this month, when James said the U.S. Department of Justice informed states that victims without documentation would no longer be eligible.
The lawsuit asks the court to block the restrictions for all 20 states involved in the case, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
“Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors turn to our courts for safety and protection,” James said in a statement. “They should never be turned away because of who they are or where they come from.”
The suit also argues that the new restrictions will strain victim services programs now forced to screen immigration status. Some legal residents and U.S. citizens could also be denied help, since abusers often control access to vital documents as a way to keep victims from leaving.
The attorneys general allege that the DOJ is violating multiple regulations, including the U.S. Constitution’s Spending Clause, because the new rules apply not only to future grants but also to funding that has already been awarded.
More than 1 million New Yorkers received VOCA or VAWA-funded services last year, according to the attorney general’s office. Between 2018 and 2022, more than 600 New Yorkers died from domestic violence.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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new york state
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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