Attorney General Jay Jones announces slate of legal actions, reverses DOJ tuition deal on Day One

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones announced a sweeping set of legal actions just hours into his new position, including joining lawsuits against the Trump administration and reversing several positions taken by his predecessors.

The efforts include a 30-day review of all current litigation in Virginia. The Office of the Attorney General said in the Jan. 17 release that it will decide which lawsuits the commonwealth should join or withdraw from, including a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit over the state's tuition polices.

Jones said he plans to withdraw from his predecessor Jason Miyares's previous agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to scrap Virginia's in-state tuition policies for immigrant and undocumented students. The move came after the DOJ filed a lawsuit in December against Virginia for providing tuition aid to students regardless of their immigration status.

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Virginia's 49th attorney general also said he plans to "push back against the Trump administration's destructive overreach" by stopping the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and challenging the mass firing at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education.

"There is much work to do, and my office will act with urgency, resolve, and an unwavering commitment to the people of Virginia,” Jones said.

According to Jones, some of the lawsuits Virginia will join are:

• California v. Trump and Washington v. Trump: Both suits attempt to block President Trump's executive orders to overhaul U.S. elections, including requiring proof of citizenship and demanding all mail-in ballots by Election Day.
• New York v. Russell T. Vought, New York v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and New York v. Linda M. McMahon: The lawsuits fight the dismantling of the CFPB, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education and look to stop the firing of federal workers in both departments.
• Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Education: The lawsuit looks to block a federal ban that bars some nonprofit organizations from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• New York v. Brooke L. Rollins: The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Department of Agriculture's guidance on the issuance of SNAP benefits.
• Washington v. Trump and New Jersey v. Trump: Both suits attempt to block Trump's efforts to end birthright citizenship.
• Two California v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suits: One lawsuit prevents the sharing of personal health data with the Department of Homeland Security. The other lawsuit fights efforts to block Medicaid reimbursements for health care services provided by Planned Parenthood.

The Office of the Attorney General also announced Virginia's withdrawal from the Latasha Holloway et al. v. City of Virginia Beach, et al. suit.

The state's previous position would have supported an election method that many said dilutes minority voters' voting strength. Jones said he wants to ensure "fair representation" in Virginia Beach.

Other actions Jones said his office will take include:

• Reaffirming the advancement of a redistricting amendment recently passed by the Virginia Senate after advancing out of the Virginia House of Delegates.
• Reviewing Miyares's stance regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers and the governance of boards of visitors at higher education institutions.
• Ensuring the completion of an offshore wind energy project and Virginia's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).