The U.S. Justice Department has abruptly canceled over 360 grants from its Office of Justice Programs (OJP), impacting vital initiatives supporting crime victims, police mental health, and anti-human trafficking efforts. The rescinded funding, affecting programs across the country, includes at least tens of millions of dollars and follows a policy shift aligned with President Donald Trump’s administration priorities.
In internal notices, the DOJ cited misalignment with new strategic goals, offering grantees 30 days to appeal. Programs affected include crime victim hotlines, support services for transgender victims, housing aid for domestic abuse survivors with pets, anti-human trafficking efforts for immigrants, and juvenile delinquency prevention.
Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the cuts, emphasizing a focus on law enforcement and direct victim services. She added that any grants shown to directly impact victims could potentially be reinstated.
Organizations affected expressed concern. The National Center for Victims of Crime lost nearly $3 million in funding for hotline and support services, with CEO Renee Williams confirming “the hotlines are going away.” Richard Morales of the Latino Coalition for Community Leadership noted two grants worth $6 million were canceled, affecting 22 partners in 10 states. Jean Bruggeman of Freedom Network USA warned the cuts could leave trafficking and abuse victims without access to shelter and support.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg stated in a staff email that future funding would prioritize law enforcement coordination, child protection, and combating violent crime. DOJ officials claimed victim services would remain unaffected, though many internal staff were unaware of the cuts until grantees were notified.
As of now, the DOJ's Community Oriented Policing Services office remains untouched. It is unclear if the Office of Violence Against Women is similarly affected.