The US Department of Justice has revoked several grants previously awarded to community organisations and local governments.
The withdrawal of funding shall affect organisations that deal with gun violence prevention, crime victim advocacy, and opioid addiction initiatives.
In an email to The Washington Post, Maureen Henneberg, acting head of the Office of Justice Programs, explained that the cancelled grants were identified during a weeks-long review process and did not align with the priorities set by the Trump administration.
This decision follows a review that began under the Trump administration.
US Policies Lead to Cuts in Victim Support Funding
In her memo, Henneberg stated that the funds would be reallocated to better align with Trump administration priorities, such as combating violent crime, protecting victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and protecting American children.
Further, program leaders of the affected programs received termination notices on Tuesday, instructing them to suspend all grant-funded operations.
Additionally, their access to previously allocated funds was revoked.
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Victim Support Funding
The funding provided millions of dollars to organisations that ran programs for nonviolent youth offenders, efforts to reduce opioid-related deaths, initiatives aimed at preventing hate crimes and a confidential hotline by the National Centre for Victims of Crime to help crime victims understand their rights.
Additionally, the Office of Justice Programs usually allocates grants over a three-year cycle, but the cancellation notices were issued halfway through, possibly leading to significant funding gaps for these programs.
According to the notice obtained by The Post, program administrators were given 30 days to appeal the Justice Department’s decision.
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Trump Administration Proposes Cuts to State Office
The Trump government recently proposed a significant restructuring of its State Department, including the elimination of a war crimes office and a shift in focus for staff handling migration and refugees.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the restructuring aims to eliminate offices deemed “misaligned with America’s core national interests.”
Among the planned cuts is the Office of Global Criminal Justice, which plays a key role in shaping the country’s policy on war crimes and genocide.
The proposal would eliminate approximately 130 of the 732 domestic offices and cut 700 jobs as part of what Rubio described as a major restructuring effort.
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