A coalition of 20 state attorneys general sued the Trump administration Wednesday, challenging a new rule they say will strip vital support from survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence who cannot instantly prove their immigration status, US media reported.
Filed in federal court in the state of Rhode Island, the lawsuit targets a Justice Department regulation set to take effect Oct. 31 that would block funding under the Violence Against Women Act and two other laws from going to victims who cannot immediately prove their immigration status, NBC News said.
"Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors turn to our courts for safety and protection," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "They should never be turned away because of who they are or where they come from."
The attorneys general argue the rule could also hit lawful residents and US citizens who lack immediate access to identification, noting that abusers often hide or destroy documents to maintain control.
Their filing says the Justice Department violated the Constitution's spending clause and the Administrative Procedure Act by attaching retroactive and ambiguous conditions to grants without proper justification.
The lawsuit comes after Trump recently downplayed domestic violence in a speech, saying: "If a man has a little fight with the wife, they say this was a crime."
The remarks drew criticism.
James said the administration's move "endangers families, silences survivors, and threatens public safety."
