Coalition of 20 attorneys general secures reversal on illegal funding conditions tied to immigration enforcement

Organ Mountain News report

ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced a major victory in a multi-state lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice, following the agency’s decision to drop plans to impose new restrictions on nearly $1.4 billion in Victims of Crime Act grants.

Torrez and 20 other attorneys general sued after the Trump Administration declared that states would have to support its immigration enforcement efforts to access VOCA funds. The reversal ensures continued funding for victim services, including emergency shelter, advocacy, and medical expenses.

“As a career prosecutor I have always fought to ensure victims have the resources, respect, and support they deserve,” Torrez said. “This lawsuit was never about politics — it was about protecting nearly $1.4 billion in critical funding for victims of crime.”

The coalition, led by New Jersey, California, Delaware, Illinois and Rhode Island, argued that the administration’s conditions were unconstitutional and violated Congress’s intent for VOCA, which was enacted in 1984 to support victims and survivors nationwide.

Following the lawsuit, the Department of Justice agreed to continue distributing VOCA Victim Assistance and Compensation grants without immigration-related requirements.

New Mexico joined the case alongside attorneys general from 19 other states and the District of Columbia.