Governor Polis, House Majority Leader Duran Push Back on Trump Over Conditions Placed on Victims of Violent Crime Funding

DENVER - Today, Governor Jared Polis and House Majority Leader Monica Duran called out the Trump administration's unlawful attempt to withhold federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds from states, including Colorado, unless they agree to participate in the administration's incoherent immigration policies.

"Coloradans know that politicizing support for crime victims is wrong. The Trump administration's decision to withhold these funds is cruel and makes our communities less safe. This federal funding should go toward helping survivors heal and get a fresh start. Colorado will stand up for survivors and fight to ensure that every victim has access to the resources needed to recover," said Governor Jared Polis.

"As a domestic violence survivor, I know how life-saving these services are," said House Majority Leader Monica Duran. "For Colorado families in crisis, VOCA funds mean having a safe place to sleep, access to counseling, or support navigating the justice system. It is unconscionable to use survivors as pawns in a political fight over immigration. In the legislature, we have worked across party lines to keep the doors open for victim services, and I am committed to doing everything possible to protect Colorado families from the devastating impacts of this reckless federal action."

VOCA, created in 1984, provides billions of dollars nationwide each year for victim compensation programs and grants that support survivors of crime, including funding for emergency shelter, sexual assault forensic exams, funeral expenses, and trauma recovery services. In Colorado alone, VOCA funds supported more than 175,000 victims of crime in recent years, with $21 million awarded in 2024.

On Monday, August 18th, Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a coalition of more than 20 states suing the Trump administration's actions as an unconstitutional overreach. Colorado's leaders remain united in fighting to protect VOCA funds, which are essential to supporting nearly 9 million crime victims nationwide every year.

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