California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a lawsuit today challenging President Trump's effort to impose immigration enforcement requirements. The administration is withholding more than a billion dollars in grants meant to help victims of crime.
The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court in Rhode Island. It asks for a declaratory judgement that the conditions placed on the grants are unlawful and should be removed.
In July, the Office for Victims of Crime, the agency that administers the grants within the U.S. Department of Justice declared that states will be unable to access Victims of Crime Act funds.
Bonta said the fund, established 40 years ago by Congress, supports victim assistance efforts in 35 programs across the state. They include trauma-informed responses to victims, survivors and families who have experienced crimes, including sexual assault, robbery, hate crime and domestic violence.
Bonta added California is expected to receive more than 160 million dollars in grant funds to support these and other services.
