Attorney General Neronha, coalition successfully defend critical services for sexual and domestic violence survivors
Published on Monday, November 24, 2025
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general today secured an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ensuring DOJ will not apply unlawful restrictions to critical Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) services supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Last month, the coalition sued DOJ over new conditions that threatened to cut off critical legal services for survivors who could not immediately prove their immigration status. 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.
“With this agreement, the Trump Administration is effectively surrendering, as well they should, for attempting to withhold critical funding for victims of sexual and domestic violence,” said Attorney General Neronha. “When a victim seeks help, the first question can never and will never be concerning their immigration status. Our coalition has been overwhelmingly successful thus far in preventing the potential harm from this Administration’s worst instincts, and we will continue to fight, and win, on behalf of Americans everywhere.”
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 rebuild their lives. VAWA also funds rape crisis centers that provide urgent support to victims of sexual assault. Congress deliberately 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 legal services to undocumented immigrants. 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, the coalition is voluntarily dismissing its lawsuit without prejudice, preserving the ability to refile if DOJ attempts to revive this unlawful restriction in the future.
Joining Attorney General Neronha in this stipulation are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
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