January 17th, 2026 - Attorney General Jones Announces Day One Actions to Keep Virginians Safe, Lower Costs, and Protect Fundamental Rights

Attorney General Jones Announces Day One Actions to Keep Virginians Safe, Lower Costs, and Protect Fundamental Rights

Will join and advance litigation against the Trump Administration

Launching 30-day review of all existing litigation

Richmond, Va - Today, on his first day in office, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced a sweeping set of actions to keep Virginians safe, lower costs, and protect fundamental rights.

“With my actions today, I have made it clear that my mission as Virginia’s 49th Attorney General will be to protect Virginians, defend our Constitution, and ensure that the powers of this office are used to serve the public, not partisan agendas,” said Attorney General Jones. “This office belongs to the people of Virginia. We will use every lawful tool to ensure justice works for everyone in every corner of the Commonwealth.

“I promised Virginians that I would push back against the Trump administration’s destructive overreach, and today we are delivering on our promise to do exactly that. My office will begin joining and advancing litigation to protect Virginians, including efforts to stop the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has returned billions of dollars to consumers; to challenge the mass termination of 10,000 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services; and to prevent the firing of half the Department of Education and the erosion of its mission.

“Additionally, my office is immediately launching a comprehensive 30-day review of all existing litigation to determine which lawsuits we should join or withdraw from. As part of this review, we will also examine any agreements entered into with the Trump administration that surrender Virginians’ rights in order to receive benefits they are already entitled to, restrict access to grant funding, or otherwise limit our freedoms. Following the review, my team will develop and implement a plan to address the issues identified.

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

Below are the actions I have taken today to protect Virginians:

Protecting Our Democracy:

Redistricting Opinion: Today, I issued an opinion protecting Virginians' rights by reaffirming the General Assembly’s efforts to lawfully advance a constitutional redistricting amendment for eventual consideration by the voters.

Latasha Holloway et al. v. City of Virginia Beach, et al.: My office will immediately withdraw my predecessor’s position, which sought to reinstate the inequitable system of city council representation in the City of Virginia Beach. We will work to ensure the residents of the City of Virginia Beach are supported in their effort to maintain the current voting system that ensures fair representation.

California v. Trump and Washington v. Trump: My office will enter the fight against President Trump’s illegal executive orders attempting to interfere with and undermine our elections. 

Lowering Costs: 

New York v. Russell T. Vought: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and fight back against the dismantling of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency that has coordinated with states and returned more than $21 billion improperly taken from consumers throughout its 14-year existence. Virginians deserve a leader who will protect consumers and put money back in their pockets. 

Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Education: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and work to block the new rule that strips Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility from people whose work is disfavored by the Trump administration. My office will fight this new rule that will substantially increase the financial burden on hardworking public servants.

New York v. Brooke L. Rollins: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and challenge the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s issuance of SNAP guidance that illegally restricts program eligibility for lawful permanent residents, jeopardizing access to critical food and devastating already stretched family budgets.

President Trump’s Assault on Offshore Wind: My office will fulfill its duty to protect ratepayers and ensure the completion of Virginia’s landmark offshore wind energy project and ensure this federal overreach does not drive up energy costs for Virginians. 

Association of Energy Conservation Professionals v. Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board, et al.: I have directed my team to work with key stakeholders to determine the best legal approach to ensure Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). 

Protecting Virginians’ Fundamental Rights:

Protecting Our Communities: I am directing my team to review my predecessor’s opinion regarding United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers and develop clear guidance that balances public safety and trust between communities and law enforcement as it relates to how our immigration laws are implemented.

Washington v. Trump and New Jersey v. Trump: My office will ensure Virginia enters the fight in the U.S. Supreme Court to block the Trump administration’s illegal executive order to end birthright citizenship.

California v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and prevent the unlawful and unnecessary sharing of sensitive, personal health data with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

California v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and fight back against efforts to block Medicaid reimbursements for essential health care services provided by Planned Parenthood. 

Fighting Back Against Federal Overreach:

United States of America v. Virginia (In-State Tuition): My office will immediately reverse course, withdraw my predecessor’s flawed and legally incorrect position, and fully defend Virginia’s in-state tuition law.

New York v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and put a stop to President Trump’s dismantling of dozens of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies and the illegal firing of 10,000 HHS workers, a substantial number of which are Virginians.

New York v. Linda M. McMahon: My office will work with the lead states to join this lawsuit and fight back against President Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and the subsequent illegal firings, a substantial number of which are Virginians, costing jobs and jeopardizing our students’ education. 

Taking Politics Out of Higher Education:

Boards of Visitors Governance: I am directing my team to review my predecessor’s opinion governing duty of loyalty for boards of visitors and work in close collaboration with our public institutions of higher education to develop updated guidance that safeguards the integrity of our institutions and prevents the politicization of our best-in-class higher education system.

National Talent Search for Higher Education Counsel: I am directing my office to conduct a national search to recruit the brightest legal talent to fill vacant counsel positions at the Commonwealth’s institutions of higher learning, the crown jewels of Virginia’s education system.

###