Statement of Chicago Community Violence Intervention Organizations In Response to Trump Administration Cancelling of Public Safety Grants

In response to the Department of Justice’s recent decision to cut nearly $1 billion in Community Violence Intervention (CVI) grants, CVI organizations across Chicago have issued the following statement:

“Public safety is everyone’s responsibility, and no one has acted on that commitment more fully than Chicago and Illinois, where state and local governments collaborate closely with philanthropy, business and community-based organizations to make our communities safer. By cancelling grants for bipartisan community violence intervention, police training and domestic violence programs, among other initiatives, the Department of Justice has undermined public safety in our communities. We are deeply disappointed that this decision was made without further vetting. We urge the Administration, Congress and/or the judicial branch to take steps to restore the public safety funds Congress appropriated under the Safer Communities Act. And we invite the administration and DOJ to meet with Chicago stakeholders for a closer look at the proven efforts being made to make Chicago a safer city.”

Organizations from across the country are answering the call to protect CVI, with a National Day of Action on May 7. Here in Illinois, CVI advocates will head to Springfield for a Legislative Action Day on May 13.