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Va. A.G. Jones Calls on ICE to Reverse Dangerous New Policy
RICHMOND, Virginia, July 8 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on July 6, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones Calls on ICE to Reverse Dangerous New Policy
Attorney General Jay Jones joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reverse a dangerous new policy ending investigations and public reporting of deaths that occur shortly after people are released from ICE custody.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director
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RICHMOND, Virginia, July 8 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on July 6, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones Calls on ICE to Reverse Dangerous New Policy
Attorney General Jay Jones joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reverse a dangerous new policy ending investigations and public reporting of deaths that occur shortly after people are released from ICE custody.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE DirectorDavid Venturella, Attorney General Jay Jones and the coalition condemn the attempt to reduce transparency and accountability as reports of abusive and unsafe conditions in ICE detention facilities continue to rise. The attorneys general are calling on Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella to rescind the policy and restore prior reporting standards.
"These systems of accountability exist to protect those who are most vulnerable, and I will not stand by while they get stripped away by those attempting to abuse their power," said Attorney General Jay Jones. "With the disturbing rise in reports of abuse and death in ICE detention facilities in the recent months, transparency is more important now than ever. This change in policy is an abhorrent attempt by ICE and the DHS to sidestep responsibility for their dangerous actions, and we won't allow it. The public is demanding transparency and accountability, and as Attorney General that is exactly what I will fight for."
ICE is required to comply with national detention standards, which direct detention facilities to conduct initial health screenings, provide necessary medical and mental health care, and maintain safe and sanitary conditions, including protecting detainees from unnecessary uses of force. To ensure that individuals are provided with adequate care and medical attention during detention, Congress has required ICE to investigate and report deaths that occur during detention and has long sought transparency around deaths connected to ICE custody. Until recently, ICE directors could request reviews of the death of individuals who passed away within 30 days of being released from ICE custody, and as a result, ICE frequently conducted investigations and prepared reports based on its findings following the death of a newly released detainee.
Attorney General Jay Jones and the coalition argue that the administration's decision to stop investigating and reporting deaths that occur shortly after ICE detention reduces the federal government's accountability for conditions in ICE facilities and jeopardizes the safety of detainees. In the letter, the coalition warns that ending these reporting and investigation requirements could create a dangerous incentive for facilities to release critically ill or mistreated detainees shortly before they die to avoid scrutiny associated with a death in ICE custody.
The attorneys general note that the policy is part of a broader effort to shield ICE detention centers from supervision and accountability as conditions for detainees deteriorate. In recent months, while deaths in ICE custody have risen to historic levels, public health professionals and elected officials have been prevented from conducting routine checks on ICE facilities. In detention centers across the country, individuals have reportedly been denied access to adequate medical care and placed in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Since January 2025, there have been 51 detainee deaths in ICE custody, including Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a 39-year-old man who died from septic shock caused by an untreated abscess after his request for medical treatment was ignored. More than half of these deaths have occurred in just nine of the more than 220 active immigration detention facilities. ICE's own Office of Detention Oversight has determined that five of those nine facilities have deficient medical care.
Attorney General Jay Jones and the coalition make clear that their states will continue to stand against federal attempts to shield ICE from public accountability. The coalition urges ICE to reverse course on this new policy and to ensure that individuals in custody are treated with basic dignity, humanity, and care.
Joining Attorney General Jay Jones in sending this letter, which was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3067-attorney-general-jay-jones-calls-on-ice-to-reverse-dangerous-new-policy
Okla. A.G. Drummond Files Lawsuit Against Allstate Insurance Co.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Drummond files lawsuit against Allstate Insurance Co.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today filed a lawsuit against Allstate Insurance Company, alleging the insurer engaged in a coordinated scheme to wrongfully deny or underpay legitimate wind and hail damage claims submitted by Oklahoma homeowners.
Filed in Cleveland County District Court, the lawsuit alleges Allstate implemented an internal program referred to as the "Disaster Payment Minimization Scheme"
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 8 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Drummond files lawsuit against Allstate Insurance Co.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond today filed a lawsuit against Allstate Insurance Company, alleging the insurer engaged in a coordinated scheme to wrongfully deny or underpay legitimate wind and hail damage claims submitted by Oklahoma homeowners.
Filed in Cleveland County District Court, the lawsuit alleges Allstate implemented an internal program referred to as the "Disaster Payment Minimization Scheme"that was designed to reduce claim payments and increase corporate profits. According to the petition, Allstate marketed homeowners policies as providing replacement cost coverage for storm-related damage while allegedly using undisclosed internal standards and claims-handling practices to limit coverage and reduce payments to policyholders.
"This lawsuit is about protecting Oklahoma homeowners and holding insurance companies accountable when they fail to honor the promises they make to policyholders," Drummond said. "Consumers pay their premiums expecting their insurance company to be there when disaster strikes. When insurers put profits ahead of policyholders, it's hardworking families and individuals who ultimately pay the price."
The State alleges Allstate systematically altered its claims process by limiting the authority of field adjusters, relying on third-party inspectors and reviewers, and applying restrictive internal standards that were not disclosed to policyholders. The lawsuit contends these practices resulted in the denial or underpayment of valid storm-related claims across the state.
"Insurance companies have a legal and contractual obligation to treat policyholders fairly, communicate honestly and evaluate claims in good faith," Drummond said. "I will continue fighting to ensure Oklahomans receive the coverage they paid for and the honest dealings they deserve."
The petition alleges violations of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act and the Oklahoma Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as civil conspiracy and unjust enrichment. The State is seeking injunctive relief, civil penalties, disgorgement of profits and restitution for affected consumers.
Read the Petition (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/july/CJ-2026-1169.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/july/drummond-files-lawsuit-against-allstate-insurance-company.html
New Jersey Sues Trump Administration to Block Illegal Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
TRENTON, New Jersey, July 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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New Jersey Sues Trump Administration to Block Illegal Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is attempting yet again to add unlawful conditions to funding intended to address homelessness, including by drastically cutting funding for permanent housing, a move that would result in tens of thousands of people losing their homes. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and a coalition of states
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TRENTON, New Jersey, July 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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New Jersey Sues Trump Administration to Block Illegal Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is attempting yet again to add unlawful conditions to funding intended to address homelessness, including by drastically cutting funding for permanent housing, a move that would result in tens of thousands of people losing their homes. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and a coalition of stateshave filed a lawsuit in federal court today to challenge the Trump Administration's actions.
Just last month, the states won a separate lawsuit against HUD in federal court regarding the agency's earlier decision to impose illegal conditions on billions of dollars in funding for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, which supports housing and other services for people experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Congress has prioritized stability in the way the funds are allocated, and the vast majority of CoC funds have traditionally supported permanent housing and other projects that have been shown to work.
Despite that court order blocking HUD's illegal conditions on CoC funding for fiscal year 2025, HUD is now trying to again impose similar unlawful conditions on CoC funding for fiscal year 2026. Unless the courts stop it, HUD's actions will cause CoC-funded permanent housing projects to lose funding, resulting in tens of thousands of people being evicted back to the streets, with states and local governments left to pick up the pieces.
"The Trump Administration is trying once again to evict thousands of people, despite a court order holding its previous attempt unlawful," said Attorney General Davenport. "The drastic changes that HUD is attempting to impose on this grant program would increase homelessness and send over 1,300 New Jerseyans back to the streets. This is not right."
For more than two decades, HUD has embraced a commitment to permanent housing programs and the so-called Housing First model, which prioritizes getting people off the street and into housing.
But the Trump Administration has rejected that commitment to the Housing First model and is undermining the CoC program. Last year, HUD set strict caps on funding for proven Housing First approaches that were subsequently found unlawful.
On June 1, HUD issued new conditions on fiscal year 2026 CoC funds that attempt to do effectively the same thing again, setting a de facto cap on permanent housing. That shift threatens housing for at least 97,000 people across the country, including more than 1,300 in New Jersey, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The states argue that HUD's actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act for, among other things, failing to proceed with notice-and-comment rulemaking and being arbitrary and capricious. They ask the court to declare that the challenged conditions are illegal and block HUD from implementing them.
Joining Attorney General Davenport in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
View Complaint (https://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HUD-CoC-Complaint.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/new-jersey-sues-trump-administration-to-block-illegal-changes-to-funding-addressing-homelessness/
N.J. A.G. Davenport: State Board of Pharmacy Temporarily Suspends License and Shuts Down Pharmacy of Gloucester County Pharmacist
TRENTON, New Jersey, July 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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State Board of Pharmacy Temporarily Suspends License and Shuts Down Pharmacy of Gloucester County Pharmacist
Pharmacist Allegedly Maintained Unsafe, Unsanitary Conditions and Interfered With Patients' Right to Obtain Medications from Pharmacies of Their Choice
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs (Division) announced today that the State Board of Pharmacy ("Board") has temporarily suspended the license and shut down the
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TRENTON, New Jersey, July 8 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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State Board of Pharmacy Temporarily Suspends License and Shuts Down Pharmacy of Gloucester County Pharmacist
Pharmacist Allegedly Maintained Unsafe, Unsanitary Conditions and Interfered With Patients' Right to Obtain Medications from Pharmacies of Their Choice
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs (Division) announced today that the State Board of Pharmacy ("Board") has temporarily suspended the license and shut down thepharmacy of a Gloucester County pharmacist who allegedly practiced unsafely, operated in unsanitary conditions, and interfered with patients' rights to obtain their medications from pharmacies of their choice, leaving them to ration medications or forgo them altogether.
According to allegations filed by the State, pharmacist Nittal K. Lodha, owner and operator of Woodbury Family Pharmacy (Woodbury) in Woodbury, New Jersey, repeatedly disregarded patients' requests to stop filling their prescriptions and transfer them to other pharmacies. She instead continued to fill the prescriptions herself with medications kept in unsanitary conditions; and to provide patients with the wrong dosages or dispense medications in packages with broken safety seals or missing pills. The State alleges that Lodha's actions disrupted patients' ability to obtain necessary medications, resulting in adverse health consequences, emotional distress, and deterioration of their medical conditions.
"Patients should be able to trust that their pharmacist won't endanger their health or make it harder for them to access lifesaving medications. So when a licensed pharmacist harms patients by allegedly disregarding basic safety standards and interfering with their right to obtain needed treatment from the pharmacy of their choosing, we will take action to protect the public," said Attorney General Davenport. "My office will continue to work with the Division of Consumer Affairs and the Board of Pharmacy to ensure that those entrusted with public health meet their professional and legal obligations."
"The temporary suspension of Ms. Lodha's license and Woodbury Family Pharmacy's permit reflects the seriousness of these allegations and our commitment to protecting the public," said Jeremy E. Hollander, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. "Patients depend on pharmacists and pharmacies to provide safe, lawful, and reliable access to prescription medications. Those that fall short of those expectations will be held accountable."
At a hearing before a subcommittee of the Board on June 5, 2026, the State sought the immediate temporary suspension of Lodha's license and Woodbury's permit, arguing that allowing them to continue their practice while the allegations against them are pending would present a clear and imminent danger to public health, safety and welfare. The subcommittee voted to grant the temporary suspensions, a decision that was ratified by the full Board on June 24, 2026.
The Temporary Order of Suspension and Report of Hearing Committee to the Board (Order) ratified by the Board permits Lodha and Woodbury to seek limited reinstatement of their practice credentials pending the resolution of the allegations, provided they meet conditions set forth in the Order.
Investigators with the Enforcement Bureau, within the Division of Consumer Affairs, conducted the investigation into this matter.
The State was represented in this matter by Deputy Attorney General Daniel Evan Leef Hewitt, under the supervision of Section Chief Doreen A. Hafner of the Professional Boards Prosecution Section, within the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group of the Division of Law.
View Order (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-0707_20260623_28RI03035700_Order.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/state-board-of-pharmacy-temporarily-suspends-license-and-shuts-down-pharmacy-of-gloucester-county-pharmacist/
Md. A.G. Office: Decedent and Officers Identified in Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 8 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Decedent and Officers Identified in Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the decedent and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers involved in the fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
The decedent is identified as 42-year-old Maurice Daniels of Millersville, Maryland.
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 8 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Decedent and Officers Identified in Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the decedent and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers involved in the fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
The decedent is identified as 42-year-old Maurice Daniels of Millersville, Maryland.
The involved officers are identified as BPD Officer Charles Blackman, a 6-year veteran; Officer David Weldon, a 5-year veteran; Sergeant Kevin Rivera, an 8-year veteran; Officer Antonio Groomes, a 5-year veteran; Officer Darrius Hicklin, a 3-year veteran, and Officer Al-Shakier Drake, an 8-month veteran. All officers are assigned to the Operations Bureau.
The IID continues to investigate the circumstances of this fatal police-involved shooting. Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576-7070 or by email at [email protected].
The officers were wearing a body-worn camera, which recorded the incident. The IID will generally release the body-worn cameras and dashcam footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
To read the original news release, click here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/Pages/Independent-Investigations-Division-Investigating-Fatal-Police-Involved-Shooting-in-the-City-of-Baltimore-.aspx
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Fatal%c2%a0Police-Involved%c2%a0Shooting%c2%a0in%c2%a0the-City-of-Baltimore.aspx
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Urges U.S. Trade Representative to Stop Hitting American Consumers and Businesses With Illegal Tariffs
PHOENIX, Arizona, July 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Urges U.S. Trade Representative to Stop Hitting American Consumers and Businesses with Illegal Tariffs
Attorney General Kris Mayes and a coalition of 21 other states are urging the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to change course and drop its plan to continue Trump's illegal tariffs. In a comment letter, the states pushed back on the USTR's latest proposal - tariffs on the European Union and 59 other countries, after the Supreme Court ruled
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PHOENIX, Arizona, July 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Urges U.S. Trade Representative to Stop Hitting American Consumers and Businesses with Illegal Tariffs
Attorney General Kris Mayes and a coalition of 21 other states are urging the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to change course and drop its plan to continue Trump's illegal tariffs. In a comment letter, the states pushed back on the USTR's latest proposal - tariffs on the European Union and 59 other countries, after the Supreme Court ruledagainst their first attempt in February and the Court of International Trade struck down their second attempt in May.
"For more than a year, Donald Trump has ignored the courts and the Constitution to unlawfully tax American families and businesses," said Attorney General Mayes. "Arizonans are done paying the price for this administration's lawlessness, and I will keep fighting to stop it."
For more than a year, President Trump has inflicted chaos on the American economy by imposing tariffs without the legal authority to do so. Initially, the President claimed that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) allowed him to impose tariffs of any amount, on any product, from any country, for any length of time. In February, the Supreme Court rejected that argument, concluding that the IEEPA tariffs were unlawful. President Trump immediately turned to a separate law that had never been used before--Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974--and announced 10 percent tariffs on most products worldwide. But Arizona and 23 other states successfully challenged those tariffs as well.
Now, Trump directed the USTR to investigate the European Union and 59 other countries, which together account for 99.4 percent of all U.S. imports, to determine whether those countries are doing enough to combat forced labor in global trade. Two and a half months later, the USTR's report landed on the same conclusion Trump wanted all along: 10 percent tariffs on 14 economies, 12.5 percent tariffs on the other 46, with the exact same exceptions as before and no explanation of how the new tariffs will combat forced labor.
A recent analysis by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that nearly 90 percent of the costs of tariffs in 2025 were paid by American consumers and businesses. By imposing yet another round of price increases on American consumers and businesses, President Trump is tripling down on failed economic policies.
Today's letter argues that this latest round of tariffs is illegal, outside the scope of the authority Congress gave the USTR, and unsupported by evidence.
The comment is led by AG Mayes along with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Also joining the letter are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-urges-us-trade-representative-stop-hitting-american-consumers
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Sues HUD to Block Unlawful Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
PHOENIX, Arizona, July 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Sues HUD to Block Unlawful Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is attempting yet again to unlawfully cap funding for permanent housing projects, in a move that would result in tens of thousands of people losing their homes, Arizona and a multistate coalition argued in a lawsuit filed in federal court today.
"After losing in court, the federal government is again violating the law and
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PHOENIX, Arizona, July 8 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on July 7, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Sues HUD to Block Unlawful Changes to Funding Addressing Homelessness
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is attempting yet again to unlawfully cap funding for permanent housing projects, in a move that would result in tens of thousands of people losing their homes, Arizona and a multistate coalition argued in a lawsuit filed in federal court today.
"After losing in court, the federal government is again violating the law andabandoning vulnerable Arizonans," said Attorney General Mayes. "HUD has no legal authority to unilaterally rewrite the rules governing this critical housing funding, and my office will continue to fight to hold the federal government accountable and protect Arizonans."
Just last month, Arizona and a coalition of states won a separate case against HUD in federal court in Rhode Island regarding the agency's decision last year to impose illegal conditions on billions of dollars in funding for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, which supports housing and other services for people experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Congress has prioritized stability in the way the funds are allocated, and the vast majority of CoC funds have traditionally supported permanent housing and other projects that have been shown to work.
On June 1, HUD sought again to re-implement a cap on funding for permanent housing and set other unlawful conditions on the funds. Without action by the court, HUD's actions mean CoC-funded permanent housing projects will lose funding or see it reduced, resulting in tens of thousands of people being evicted back to the streets, with states and local governments left to pick up the pieces.
For more than two decades, HUD has embraced a commitment to permanent housing programs which prioritizes rapid placement in permanent housing without requiring people to first meet conditions such as sobriety or a minimum income threshold.
But the current federal administration has rejected the commitment to the Housing First model and undermined the CoC program. First, HUD published notices of funding opportunities last year that set a 30% cap on CoC funding that were subsequently found unlawful.
Now, HUD has issued the June 1 notice of funding opportunity that creates a $1.3 billion set-aside for new projects prioritizing such things as transitional housing, which results in a de facto cap on permanent housing. That shift threatens housing for at least 97,000 residents of CoC-funded permanent housing across the country, including nearly 1800 in Arizona, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The states argue that HUD's actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act for, among other things, failing to proceed with notice-and-comment rulemaking and being arbitrary and capricious. They ask the court to declare that the challenged conditions are illegal and block HUD from implementing them.
Joining AG Mayes in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
A copy of the complaint (https://us.list-manage.com/3iajTLEg4Ah?e=b0dbe1a1e5&c2id=09345700d02fac819a23d47fdcb56250) is available.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-sues-hud-block-unlawful-changes-funding-addressing
