ST. PAUL – (WCCO 830) – Minnesota Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm in response to President Donald Trump’s freeze on federal loans and grants, which a federal judge temporarily blocked. Advocates say the loss of such funds would endanger victims of domestic violence.
DFL Representative Kelly Moller says that federal funding has been decreasing, and now the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze federal funds and the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the victim funding has made what was already a crisis in Minnesota “a five-alarm fire.
Moller says that Minnesota’s Federal funding for victim services is crucial to public safety.
And while the freeze was temporarily blocked, many of the funds are still frozen, meaning advocacy groups may soon have to cut staff and services.
Moller says in 2024, nearly 70,000 Minnesotans relied on victim services that may disappear entirely if funding isn’t restored.
While we’re exploring options for boosting state funds to these programs, we’ll have difficulty covering the full federal gap,” she says. “And if these advocacy programs close, Minnesotans will be less safe.”
In the meantime, it’s unclear what the consequences will be for specialized groups like LGBTQ+ victims of domestic violence, and immigrants that may go without specific resources.
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