RI federal judge strikes down Trump grant restrictions for domestic violence groups

A Rhode Island federal judge on Tuesday struck down the Trump administration’s attempts to  restrict federal grants for organizations serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to adequately explain its decision to condition grants on restrictions involving immigration status and programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and gender identity.

The 10-page summary judgment order resolves a lawsuit brought by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and other organizations challenging the conditions imposed on grants administered through DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women and Office of Justice Programs.

“Defendants have failed to provide actual, substantive, and contemporaneous support for the idea that they considered the adverse impact of these conditions in a material manner,” DuBose, a Biden appointee, wrote.

Plaintiff organizations led by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence challenged the legality of withholding grants in order to advance Trump’s policies last June, arguing the eligibility requirements for Violence Against Women Act funds were in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act since the changes were made without any clear reasoning.

Judge blocks feds from restricting grants serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault

The grants were created under the Violence Against Women Act, part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, to help organizations that support victims through legal services, housing assistance and crisis counseling.

According to the lawsuit, the DOJ is now demanding that grant recipients certify they are complying with the conditions and could be subject to penalties. including the potential withholding of funds, contract termination or termination of awards. The federal government separately warned of potential criminal prosecution under the federal False Claims Act if they made false or fraudulent statements concerning their awards. 

The DOJ argued that administration officials had devoted sufficient time and effort to the changes.

DuBose did not see it that way.

“Defendants’ attempt to impose these conditions on Plaintiffs served as a sweeping and chaotic overhaul of the prior way in which Defendants required grantees to comply with these programs,” she wrote.

Plaintiff organizations in a joint statement said they were relieved to see DuBose’s final order on the case.

“These grants help sustain shelters, crisis response services, legal assistance, and coordinated community efforts that survivors rely on in moments of profound danger,” they said. “We are grateful that this ruling means that this critical funding will have lasting, permanent protection.” 

Plaintiff organizations numbered 25 in all and represented 22 states plus the District of Columbia. The organizations were based in California, Colorado, D.C., Wisconsin, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Minnesota, Virginia and Washington. 

The plaintiffs’ legal team included attorneys from Democracy Forward, the ACLU of Rhode Island, the National Women’s Law Center, the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and Daniel Jacobson, a former counsel for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget during the Biden administration, and now head of Jacobson Lawyers Group.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to request for comment.