Twenty Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., filed suit Monday against the Trump administration, accusing it of unlawfully withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in federal crime victim grants.
The states argue that the Justice Department is tying access to these funds to cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, a condition they claim is unconstitutional.
The grants at issue cover services such as medical bills, counseling, shelter, and legal aid for crime victims. California Attorney General Rob Bonda denounced the administration’s move as an attempt to “strong-arm” states into enforcing federal immigration policy.
A group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to prevent the Trump administration from forcing them to cooperate with immigration enforcement activities in order to receive grant funding to support crime victims. https://t.co/E5lkzTPLAe
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) August 18, 2025
The lawsuit marks the latest flashpoint in President Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration and his effort to roll back so-called “sanctuary” protections.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has publicly listed states, cities, and counties with sanctuary policies, while DOJ has already sued jurisdictions, including Illinois, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles
