Trump Administration Withheld Critical Byrne JAG Law Enforcement Grants to New York and Other States and Localities
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the restoration of more than $30 million in federal funds for public safety that New York receives under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (Byrne JAG) and the conclusion of legal challenges against the Trump administration’s Department of Justice for denying these funds.
“Public safety and our ability to protect our communities should never be jeopardized by politics,” said
Attorney General James. “For decades, the Byrne JAG grant program has been a critical source of federal funding for our efforts to protect New Yorkers, which is why the former president’s attempts to hold these grant funds hostage was so unconscionable. We’re pleased that the Biden administration has removed the immigration-related conditions, and that New York can now
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Connecticut is slated to receive $6.4 million in retroactive funds from the federal government under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The money had been withheld from Connecticut and other states by the Trump administration. (Renee Schiavone/Patch)
CONNECTICUT The state will receive $6.4 million retroactively from the federal government in justice assistance funds that were withheld by the Trump-Pence administration and released to Connecticut by the Biden-Harris administration, according to Gov. Ned Lamont.
Under the Trump administration s unlawful immigration policy, as Lamont called it, the money used for criminal justice efforts was blocked between 2017 and 2020. Attorney General William Tong, who was a critic of Trump s immigration policies, fought on Connecticut s behalf to have the so-called Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program funds released.
President
Joe Biden’s decision to reverse
Donald Trump’s denial of Department of Justice grants to sanctuary jurisdictions means New York will receive more than $30 million for public safety, the state’s Attorney General
Letitia James (D) announced on Tuesday.
“Public safety and our ability to protect our communities should never be jeopardized by politics,” James wrote in a statement.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, known as Byrne JAG funds for short, was named after late New York City Police Officer
Eddie Byrne, who was assassinated in the line of duty in 1988.
Trump’s Justice Department denied up to $385 million in these grants to sanctuary jurisdictions, the states and cities opting to limit local cooperation with federal authorities on immigration.
Department of Justice OKs $6 4M in law enforcement grants for Connecticut withheld under Trump due to concern about sanctuary cities courant.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from courant.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.