New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today secured an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that ensures DOJ will not apply alarming restrictions to critical Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) services supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. The agreement is an important victory that successfully resolves New Jersey’s lawsuit seeking to preserve access to these essential services.
Last month, Attorney General Platkin and a coalition of 19 other attorneys general sued DOJ over unlawful new conditions that threatened to cut off critical legal services for survivors who could not immediately prove their immigration status—conditions that would violate federal law. As a result of the lawsuit, DOJ reversed course and today agreed to a binding resolution guaranteeing the federal government will not apply the restrictions to states’ VOCA Victim Assistance and VAWA funds and ensuring that survivors can continue to rely on these crucial supports regardless of immigration status.
“The Trump Administration’s attempt to cut off support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence was cruel, reckless, and illegal – and now we’ve stopped it,” said Attorney General Platkin. “I am proud to have fought alongside our partners across the country against the threats made by the Trump Administration that targeted those who had already been victims of horrific crimes. The agreement we have reached with the Department of Justice ensures that we will continue to be able to support the recovery of these residents and allow them to rebuild their lives.”
For decades, the VAWA and VOCA programs have enabled states to support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. These grants fund services such as legal representation for protective orders, custody and visitation matters, child support, housing and relocation assistance, and civil legal assistance that helps survivors escape abuse and hold criminal perpetrators accountable. VAWA also funds rape crisis centers that provide urgent support to victims of sexual assault. Congress designed these programs to reach every eligible survivor, regardless of immigration status, because public safety depends on ensuring that all victims can seek help, report crimes, and rebuild their lives without fear.
In October, the coalition filed a lawsuit after DOJ informed states that they could no longer use VAWA or VOCA funding to provide certain services to undocumented immigrants—including assistance in navigating the criminal justice system. The new “Legal Services Condition” applied not only to future awards, but also to grants that had already been issued, some dating back years. The attorneys general warned that the restriction would impose severe burdens on service providers, who do not collect or verify immigration status, and that forcing survivors to produce proof of status before receiving help would be dangerous and potentially impossible.
As a result of the lawsuit, DOJ has now agreed that the challenged restriction cannot and will not be applied to any current VOCA Victim Assistance or VAWA grant awards. Based on this binding stipulation, Attorney General Platkin and the coalition are voluntarily dismissing their lawsuit without prejudice, preserving the ability to refile if DOJ attempts to revive this unlawful restriction in the future.
Joining Attorney General Platkin in this stipulation are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia.