Oregon sues Trump for threatening to withhold funds that support victims of abuse, crimes
Oregon is suing the Trump administration for threatening to withhold funding that supports survivors of sexual assault and other crimes unless it agrees to assist with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
There are 146 service providers in Oregon that rely on the Victims of Crime Act, known as VOCA. The 1984 law created grant programs for states to help survivors find safety, shelter, clothing and other resources needed in an emergency situation. Oregon’s service providers face a loss of $15 million if the state doesn’t agree to the Trump administration’s conditions.
Victim service providers and Oregon already faced a 40% cut in federal funds during the 2024 fiscal year, according to the Oregon Law Center. Clackamas Women’s Services has already had to lay off 17 staff this year because of cuts, and it’s anticipating more layoffs depending on the outcome of the lawsuit, Executive Director Melissa Erlbaum said at a Monday press conference announcing the lawsuit.
“Today, we face the reality of future reductions,” Erlbaum said. “That means turning people away, that means delaying safety, and every delay can mean danger. It will erode trust, and it will cost lives.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said the lawsuit is about keeping shelters and services open for survivors and victims.
“The federal administration has tried to use victims of crime as a political pawn to carry out an incredibly unpopular political agenda,” he said, adding that the federal government is asking the state to break its sanctuary laws.
In 1987, Oregon became the nation’s first sanctuary state, prohibiting state and local police and government from helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement.
Oregon is suing the Trump administration alongside 21 other states facing threats to their VOCA funding. The lawsuit, New Jersey v. U.S. Department of Justice, is the 37th lawsuit Rayfield filed since Trump took office in January.
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Mia Maldonado began working at the Oregon Capital Chronicle in 2025 to cover the Oregon Legislature and state agencies with a focus on social services. She began her journalism career with the Capital Chronicle's sister outlet in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun, where she received multiple awards for her coverage of the environment and Latino affairs. She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and international political economy from the College of Idaho. Born and raised in the West, Mia enjoys hiking, skiing and rockhounding in her free time.
