Attorney General Charity Clark, along with 20 other state attorneys general, has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to prevent the implementation of new restrictions on federal funds supporting services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. The agreement ensures that the DOJ will not enforce conditions that could have limited access to Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) resources based on immigration status.
Last month, Attorney General Clark and her counterparts filed a lawsuit against the DOJ after it announced that states would be prohibited from using VAWA or VOCA funding to provide legal services to undocumented immigrants. These restrictions would have applied retroactively to existing grants as well as future awards. The coalition argued that requiring proof of immigration status before providing assistance would create significant challenges for service providers and put survivors at risk.
“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,” according to the press release.
The DOJ has now agreed in a binding resolution not to apply the contested restriction to any current VOCA Victim Assistance or VAWA grant awards. As a result of this stipulation, Attorney General Clark’s coalition is voluntarily dismissing its lawsuit but retains the option to refile if similar restrictions are proposed again.
Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington joined Vermont in this action.
A copy of the stipulation is available on the Vermont Attorney General’s website.
