Federal Challenges to DOJ Program Intensify Amid Growing Legal Scrutiny
The Justice Department’s embattled grant initiative faces mounting opposition as multiple states file lawsuits questioning its constitutionality.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice’s Community Violence Intervention Grant Program, a key component of the Biden administration’s public safety strategy, is confronting escalating federal challenges to DOJ program. Three separate lawsuits have been filed in federal courts since January 2025, alleging the program violates the Tenth Amendment by imposing unfunded mandates on local law enforcement agencies to adopt specific anti-violence strategies, including restorative justice and social service referrals, in exchange for federal funding. Critics argue the program oversteps federal authority by conditioning grants on compliance with policies not explicitly authorized by Congress. Legal experts predict the cases could reach the Supreme Court, potentially reshaping the scope of federal policing grants nationwide. The DOJ has defended the program, stating it empowers communities to reduce gun violence through evidence-based interventions and insisting it operates within constitutional limits. Oral arguments are set for late March.