A federal judge on Friday rejected the sweeping and unlawful restrictions the Trump-Vance administration imposed on federal grants administered by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This decision, which follows an earlier order preliminarily blocking the restrictions, restores critical services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, LGBTQI+ youth, and unhoused communities.
The lawsuit, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence v. Kennedy, was filed on July 21, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. It is backed by a coalition of domestic violence, sexual assault, housing, youth, and homelessness organizations, seeking to block new federal grant conditions targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and transgender rights.
Created and authorized by Congress, grants from the affected programs — such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Violence Against Women Act — have long provided critical support to organizations that serve survivors, families, youth, and people experiencing homelessness. Through politically motivated funding conditions, the suit argued, the Trump administration is undermining Congress’s clear intent, threatening the effectiveness of these programs, and jeopardizing services that vulnerable communities across the country depend on.
The plaintiffs in the case issued the following joint statement:
This is a victory for the survivors of domestic and sexual violence, LGBTQI+ youth, and unhoused individuals and families our organizations serve. We applaud the court’s findings that reject this administration’s attempt to weaponize federal funding to silence, quash, or punish inclusive service providers. This decision shows that the cruel and harmful actions of the administration will not be tolerated. We look forward to continuing our vital work to support our impacted communities.
The coalition of plaintiffs in the case includes these Rhode Island organizations: Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, House of Hope Community Development Corporation, Community Care Alliance, Foster Forward, Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, and Haus of Codec. Plaintiffs outside of Rhode Island: California Partnership To End Domestic Violence, Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, District Of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual And Domestic Violence, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Jane Doe Inc. (the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault And Domestic Violence), Kansas Coalition Against Sexual And Domestic Violence, Montana Coalition Against Domestic And Sexual Violence, North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic And Sexual Violence, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, ValorUS, Violence Free Minnesota, Virginia Sexual And Domestic Violence Action Alliance, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
Plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward, Jacobson Lawyers Group, National Women’s Law Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island.
Read the decision and find more case documents here.
