Attorney General Jay Jones of Virginia has joined a group of 21 other attorneys general in criticizing the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent actions toward Minnesota. The coalition sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, expressing concern over what they describe as attempts by the Trump administration to pressure Minnesota into sharing sensitive resident data and altering its public safety policies.
“Virginia honors our highly skilled law enforcement agencies that protect our communities and uphold the Constitution,” said Attorney General Jones. “We are deeply concerned about the tactics and strategies employed by the federal government in other states that have cost lives and put others at risk in the name of immigration enforcement. Local law enforcement officials work for decades to build trust and uplift the communities they serve. The continued use of these tactics threatens to undo years of diligent community policing and trust building within all our communities, not just Minnesota. This continued chaotic, aggressive federal overreach requires a united response from all of us charged with keeping our communities safe and our rights protected.”
The coalition’s letter comes after Attorney General Bondi wrote to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on January 24, accusing state officials of enabling fraud and demanding specific actions in exchange for withdrawing federal agents from Minnesota. These demands included providing access to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) data, changing local public safety practices, and granting access to voter information.
The attorneys general argue that such requests challenge state sovereignty and could violate ongoing court orders. They contend that these efforts represent an attempt by the federal government to achieve through pressure what it has been unable to accomplish through legal channels.
Attorney General Jones emphasized that Virginia will continue defending both state sovereignty and residents’ rights against unlawful federal interference.
Joining Jones in this initiative were attorneys general from New York (who led the letter), Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia.
The Office of the Attorney General of Virginia provides legal counsel for state agencies while supporting public safety initiatives across Virginia. It also delivers services related to consumer protection and civil rights support throughout the Commonwealth (official website). The office is involved in programs addressing human trafficking and domestic violence issues (official website).
