DOJ's Emphasis on Immigration by Trump May Negatively Impact Criminal Investigations, Assert Democrats
In a move aimed at addressing ongoing issues, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has issued a memo directing the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) to focus resources on immigration-related prosecutions.
The OCDETF, an independent component of the Department of Justice, leads long-term investigations into transnational organized crime, money laundering, and major drug trafficking networks. Meanwhile, Project Safe Neighborhoods brings together federal, state, and local officials to identify and solve violent crime issues in a community.
This decision comes amidst concerns raised by House Democratic leaders, including Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and subcommittee ranking members Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Lucy McBath, D-Ga. They have written a letter to acting Attorney General James R. McHenry III, requesting information about the number of personnel who have or will be reassigned.
The Democrats' letter also mentions their concern about the Trump administration's view of all immigrants as criminals and priorities for removal. They argue that diverting resources from OCDETF and PSN initiatives may endanger American lives by allowing criminals to roam free on our streets, increasing the risk of drug trafficking and leaving us vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
In a related development, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman has signed a directive granting DOJ law enforcement officers in the U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Federal Bureau of Prisons the authority to investigate and apprehend undocumented immigrants. Huffman's authorization is integral to Trump's mass deportation plans.
The Trump administration has touted its arrests of undocumented immigrants, but it's worth noting that limited detention space has curtailed enforcement activities, resulting in the release of about 460 migrants from custody since Trump took office. The administration has also begun sending "high-threat" undocumented immigrants to Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration deported nearly 271,500 individuals in fiscal 2024, which was a 10-year high. The leaders appointed by Emil Bove to focus more on immigration-related prosecutions are the heads of the OCDETF and PSN. The OCDETF's focus on dangerous work includes countering cartels, associated violence, and fentanyl trafficking.
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump's nominee for attorney general, was confirmed by the Senate Tuesday evening in a near-party-line vote. It's important to note that Bove was previously a defense attorney for President Donald Trump.
The actions taken by Bove were necessary to counter the mentioned issues, but the debate surrounding the administration's immigration policies continues to be a contentious issue.
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