OLYMPIA, Wash. - The state of Washington, along with Oregon and 18 other states, sued the Trump administration on Monday for withholding money designated for crime victim support under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

Court documents filed in Rhode Island say that a new policy from the Department of Justice under President Trump will not allow states to access VOCA money if they refuse to comply with the administration's policies on immigration enforcement.

VOCA was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. According to the Department of Justice website, the policy served nearly 8 million people in 2023 alone.

The states argue that since the delegation of federal funds is determined and authorized by Congress, the administration has no legal right to withhold them.

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