Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), without advanced notice, announced the cancellation of multiple federal grant programs, including several that provide critical support to local governments for law enforcement, public safety, violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. The affected grant programs include grants through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime.
In addition, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a reminder that all recipients of federal transportation grants must comply with federal laws and non-compliance may lead to loss of federal funds.
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center has organized a sign-on letter campaign for organizations and elected officials to urge federal leaders to restore and sustain these critical public safety funds. If you sign on to the letter, please also email Paul Penna from the League at ppenna@njlm.org.
These abrupt cancellations at DOJ and DOT, particularly where funding has already been appropriated by Congress, raise significant legal and constitutional concerns. The lack of transparency, due process, and stakeholder engagement in these decisions could result in formal legal challenges by affected jurisdictions or grantees. The League is working closely with our federal partner, the National League of Cities (NLC) to monitor this situation and will provide further updates on any legal advocacy as these cases unfold.
Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.