Key Facts
• August 18, 2025: 20 states and Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit.
• Federal grants tied to immigration cooperation under Trump-era policy.
• Justice Department mandates states to comply with ICE requests or lose funding.
• Grants are funded by fines collected from offenders under the 1984 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
• VOCA supports approximately 10 million victims annually with $1.4 billion available in 2025.
• Plaintiffs argue the policy violates Congress’s constitutional spending authority.
• Lawsuit filed in Rhode Island federal court seeks to block the policy.
Summary
On August 18, 2025, 20 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit challenging a Trump-era policy requiring states to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to receive federal victim assistance grants. The Justice Department recently enforced this condition under the 1984 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which funds victim compensation programs through fines collected from offenders. Plaintiffs argue the policy is unconstitutional, infringing on Congress’s spending authority. The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island federal court, seeks to block the policy, which affects approximately 10 million victims annually and allocates $1.4 billion in 2025.
