The Michigan Department of Attorney General (DAG) works tirelessly to protect and serve the people of Michigan. The DAG handles a wide range of legal matters from civil and criminal cases, to providing legal counsel to state agencies and officers, to advocating for crime victims.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General utilizes the services of Special Assistant Attorneys General from time to time when the unique circumstances of a particular case create the need for specialized services not currently available within the department.
The Michigan Attorney General has determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when.
The Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) investigates claims of innocence to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the offense.
In Michigan, a victim is an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.
Elder abuse happens when someone hurts, ignores, or takes advantage of an older adult. This may be someone who is of advanced age or is vulnerable and unable to protect themselves due to a mental or physical issues.
An expungement is a way to remove past offenses from your public record. Expansions under the “Clean Slate” laws include eligibility for up to three felonies and unlimited misdemeanors, excluding certain assault or weapons offenses and felonies that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
To investigate and prosecute hate crimes by following up on every credible tip and offer departmental resources to assist local and federal law enforcement partners in this effort.
The Michigan Attorney General is leading the fight against this horrific crime by prosecuting the state's first-ever criminal cases under state law banning human trafficking in Michigan. Victims of human trafficking are in bondage through force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.
Knowing how to guard your personal information is your first line of defense against identity theft.
Michigan workers enjoy a wide variety of legal protections regarding issues at work. There are a number of state and federal statutes that protect their wages, safety, and well-being.
Opioid addiction knows no social or economic barriers; it doesn’t care about race or gender. It claims young and old alike. The Michigan Department of Attorney General is committed to fighting this crisis.
Michigan Attorney General's robocall initiative is leading several efforts to protect Michigan residents from the billion plus robocalls made to them every year.
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq, provides that requesters can receive copies or make inspections of most public records of public bodies upon written request.
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January 12, 2026
LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to enforce its preliminary injunction blocking (PDF) the Trump Administration’s demand that states turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Earlier this year, Attorney General Nessel filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration alleging that this demand violates federal law. The District Court agreed that the demand was likely unlawful because the Administration had stated its intent to disclose and use the demanded data for purposes unrelated to the administration of SNAP, and granted a preliminary injunction. Now, the Trump Administration has again threatened to cut off administrative funding to states that do not turn over this data. In the motion to enforce, Attorney General Nessel and a multistate coalition argue that this renewed demand violates the District Court’s existing order and is contrary to law for the same reasons as the original demand.
“This troubling pattern of willfully disregarding lawful injunctions is nothing new for the Trump Administration,” Nessel said. “My attorneys general colleagues and I will continue to keep a watchful eye to ensure that they comply with the rule of law. It is my hope that the Court swiftly rebukes this latest attempt and puts an end to this Administration’s efforts to sow chaos and confusion around one of our most important programs, while jeopardizing residents' ability to feed their families.”
SNAP is a federally funded, state-administered program that provides billions of dollars in food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families across the country. SNAP applicants provide their private information on the understanding, backed by federal law, that their information will not be used for unrelated purposes. In an attempt to bully states into compliance, the Trump Administration has repeatedly threatened to withhold administrative funding for the program if states fail to comply with its unprecedented demand for data — effectively forcing states to choose between protecting their residents’ privacy and providing critical nutrition assistance to those in need. Michigan receives approximately $150M a year to administer the program, and any delay in that funding could be catastrophic for the state and its residents who rely on SNAP to put food on the table.
The only difference between the Trump Administration’s original demand, issued in July, and its renewed demand, issued in November, is that this renewed demand attached a proposed data and security protocol. This protocol is “proposed” in name only — the Trump Administration has made clear that it has no intention of negotiating the terms of that protocol with states, stating in its demand letter there “can be no good faith objections” to the protocol, despite the fact that the protocol would permit the data sharing and use that the Court has already found to be unlawful. When the multistate coalition raised this and other concerns with the protocol, USDA rejected those concerns out-of-hand and swiftly issued letters threatening to withhold funding. In today’s filing, Attorney General Nessel and the coalition urge the District Court to enforce its preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration’s renewed demand that states turn over SNAP data or lose federal funding necessary to administer the SNAP program.
Attorney General Nessel has vigorously defended SNAP from attacks by the Trump Administration. During the recent government shutdown, Attorney General Nessel sued USDA to force them to fund November SNAP benefits. Not one, but two federal district courts determined that the Trump Administration acted unlawfully. The SNAP program is now fully funded through September 2026.
Last month, Attorney General Nessel again sued the Trump Administration to challenge USDA’s guidance that erroneously excluded certain lawfully residing non-citizens from SNAP eligibility. In response to that lawsuit, USDA backed down and issued correcting guidance. A district court also issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump Administration from penalizing Michigan for any errors resulting from USDA’s erroneous guidance unlawfully restricting eligibility for SNAP.
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