After a drop in crime victim service funding at the start of this year, an additional $22 million is now on the line.

That risk stems from a new rule attached to the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, a roughly $1.2 billion funding pool consisting of fines and penalties paid in federal courts.

The U.S. Department of Justice mandate restricts states and victim-serving agencies from accessing those dollars unless they agree to support immigration enforcement operations.

“In a time when the criminal justice system has become very offender-centric, I want to make sure we do our best to protect the victim and the victim’s rights,” 21st Judicial District Attorney Dan Rubinstein said. “And I don’t like to see it being battered around as a political tool.”

STATE AG REJECTS FEDERAL MAND

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