Organizations sue Justice Department to reverse hundreds of grant
cancellations
[May 23, 2025]
By CLAUDIA LAUER
Five organizations that had grants terminated by the Justice Department
in April are suing the department and Attorney General Pam Bondi,
arguing that the cancellations are unconstitutional and asking that the
money be reinstated.
The lawsuit, filed late Wednesday by the Vera Institute of Justice, the
Center for Children & Youth Justice, Chinese for Affirmative Action,
FORCE Detroit and Health Resources in Action, asks a federal judge in
the nation's capital to “declare unlawful, vacate and set aside” the
cancellations that were sent to more than 360 awardees ending grants
worth nearly $820 million midstream.
The lawsuit filed by the Democracy Forward Foundation and the Perry Law
firm asks for class action status and also names the Office of Justice
Programs and Maureen Henneberg, the acting head of that office, as
defendants.
The lawsuit argues that the grant terminations did not allow due process
to the organizations, lacked sufficient clarity, and that Henneberg's
office lacked “constitutional, statutory, and regulatory authority” to
terminate the grants. The lawyers also argue that the move violated the
constitutional separation of powers clause that gives Congress
appropriation powers.
The lawsuit notes that all the grant recipients that had money rescinded
received the same form letter announcing the cancellation, with
identical words saying the grant programs no longer met the agency's
priorities.
Lawyers argue in the lawsuit that the new agency priorities noted in the
form letter are not articulated in policy or law, and that federal
regulations do not allow for cancellations when the agency’s priorities
change “post-award.” They said the rule only allows for cancellations of
grants that no longer meet the agency’s goals as stated when the grants
were awarded.
The lawsuit says the Office of Justice Programs “is permitted to
terminate an award based on agency priorities only if that basis for
termination was specifically permitted by the terms and conditions of
the award.” That did not happen, it argues.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at a news conference at the
Justice Department, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben
Curtis, File)
A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment
Thursday on the lawsuit.
Representatives from Vera said the nonprofit received notice on
April 4 that five awards worth more than $7 million were being
canceled. The other named plaintiffs, along with hundreds of other
groups, received identical notices on April 22 that they should
cease any activities under the grants and that they would lose
access to the federal funding system.
The grants cover a wide swath of programing across the Justice
Department. Among other goals, they are for community violence
intervention work, combatting hate crimes, providing assistance to
crime survivors and survivors of domestic or sexual abuse, improving
juvenile justice, and training for law enforcement agencies.
The lawsuit says none of the organizations had previously had grants
terminated and many had received grants for various programs under
both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations.
Many of the organizations that lost the federal money said the
unexpected cancellations mid-grant had meant layoffs, program
closures and loss of community partnerships. In addition to staying
the cancellations and reinstating the awards, lawyers also ask a
judge to require state reports every 30 days to ensure compliance.
"The sudden and unlawful termination of these public safety grants
makes neighborhoods everywhere less safe and does irreparable harm
to communities across the country,” said Skye Perryman, president
and CEO of Democracy Forward.
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