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Attorney General Jones Wins Major Case Protecting Crucial Law Enforcement Funding from Donald Trump’s Illegal Overreach 

RICHMOND, Va. — Attorney General Jones and a multistate coalition of 23 states secured an important victory in court that stops the federal government’s imposition of illegal immigration-enforcement conditions on Congressionally-authorized public safety grants, including grants intended to keep law enforcement officers safe and fight crime. 

District of Rhode Island Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. declared the Trump Administration’s actions unlawful and permanently enjoined any implementation or enforcement of these illegal conditions. 

“The Trump Administration continues to play games with federal funding, this time jeopardizing critical public safety funds that state and local law enforcement agencies rely on to protect their communities,” said Attorney General Jones. “Our dedicated law enforcement professionals work every day to keep their communities safe, and the court’s decision today will ensure they have the resources they need to carry out this important mission.”  

Last year, the Trump Administration, disregarding the clear letter of the law and intent of Congress, declared that states would be unable to access Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds unless they agreed to the Administration’s extreme immigration demands. State attorneys general succeeded in getting the federal government to remove those conditions on over $1.3 billion of VOCA funds.” 

However, this year, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has applied these illegal conditions to new grants, including funds dedicated to law enforcement and juvenile justice. 

Among the affected programs is the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Formula Grants (known as the Byrne JAG Program). For decades, regardless of which political party held power, the Byrne JAG Program has been the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local governments.  

Civil immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and not a state government responsibility. The Trump Administration’s unlawful attempts to coerce states into doing their bidding conflict with core principles of American governance – the separation of powers and federalism. The Administration’s actions violated laws passed by Congress as well as the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution. 

This lawsuit was co-led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. Attorney General Jones joins the attorney generals of Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

  Published on: November 6, 2026

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