Ellison shuts unit reviewing wrongful convictions, cites Trump funding cut

In Brief

• Keith Ellison suspends conviction review unit.
• Trump administration denies federal grant renewal.
• Unit formed in 2020 with initial $300,000 grant.
• Funding cut linked to broader Trump freezes on Minnesota.

WASHINGTON — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said on Wednesday he was shutting down his office’s Conviction Review Unit that looked into potential wrongful convictions, attributing the decision to funding suspension by the Trump administration.

“Following the Trump Administration’s refusal to renew federal grant funding that supported the program, my Office is suspending our Conviction Review Unit,” Ellison said in a statement.

“Current budget constraints do not allow the program’s costs to be absorbed without compromising other core responsibilities.”

The unit was formed in 2020 and started accepting applications to review cases in 2021. Ellison said it had received a $300,000 grant for its initial two years to fund the work of an attorney and the grant was renewed at $500,000 for a period of two more years.

The Trump administration’s Justice Department denied the unit’s application for further renewal, Ellison said.

President Donald Trump has targeted Democratic-governed Minnesota with attempts to freeze federal funding and with an immigration crackdown that saw the deployment of thousands of federal agents to conduct deportation roundups.

Trump has said his immigration crackdown aimed to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.

Rights groups have condemned it, saying it violated free speech and due process rights while creating an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities, who have raised concerns about racial profiling.

The crackdown earlier this year in Minnesota during which federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens led to large-scale protests.

The Trump administration has attempted to freeze federal funding for universities, colleges, school districts and Democratic-governed states over a range of issues.

These include transgender ⁠policies, climate initiatives, pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel’s assault on Gaza and diversity initiatives.