Congressman Carter Slams DOJ for Terminating Grants Supporting Cold Case Civil Rights Investigations and Domestic Violence Intervention

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) slammed the Musk-Trump Administration for terminating two grants awarded to the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office (OPDA) by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) which support local justice efforts. The unexpected loss of these critical federal investments threatens both long-term historical justice efforts and immediate victim safety in domestic violence cases in New Orleans.

Funding for the Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Prosecution Program and the Field Initiated: Encouraging Innovation - Upstream Solution to Domestic Violence: Comprehensive Pretrial Intervention in New Orleans was eliminated.

“I am deeply upset by the termination of these grant programs,” said Rep. Carter. “These awards represented investments not just in prosecution, but in healing. For families still grieving the loss of loved ones in racially motivated killings, and for domestic violence victims looking for alternatives to punitive systems, these programs were lifelines. Their loss is a setback to both justice and community safety. I call on the Musk-Trump Administration to reinstate these crucial funds immediately.”

In fall 2024, OPDA was awarded a $1 million grant under the Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Prosecution Program, intended to fund investigations into racially motivated homicides occurring before 1980. While OPDA had already identified more than 175 such cold cases for investigation, the premature termination of the grant halts plans to hire a full-time investigator, provide $200,000 in mental health services to victim families, and fund forensic collaboration with the New Orleans Police Department. These cuts threaten OPDA’s ability to deliver long-overdue justice to families impacted by civil rights-era violence and to ensure their trauma is acknowledged with care and dignity.

Additionally, OPDA has been informed of the termination of funding under the FY23 Field Initiated: Encouraging Innovation grant, in which OPDA was a sub-recipient. Led by local nonprofit Beyond Harm in partnership with Tulane University’s Violence Prevention Institute, the $1 million project aimed to interrupt cycles of domestic violence by diverting low-level cases into intensive pretrial services focused on healing and accountability. To date, 64 individuals have participated in the program and 55 victims have engaged with supportive services. With $650,000 remaining and strong early indicators of success, the project was poised to be a national model.

###