US President Trump: Report: US Justice Department freezes civil rights cases

According to a report, the Justice Department under US President Donald Trump is freezing all ongoing litigation in the civil rights division. A memo quoted by the Washington Post states that the goal is to ensure that the “federal government speaks with one voice in its legal opinion.” Responsible public prosecutors should not submit any new complaints or applications.

It remained unclear how long the cases would be frozen. The move will paralyze the civil rights department, at least for the first few weeks of the new Trump administration, according to the Washington Post.

The so-called Civil Rights Division was founded in 1957 during the civil rights movement to combat systemic discrimination, particularly against blacks and other marginalized groups in the USA. The main issues are police violence, discrimination in the workplace, inequalities in the education system and violations of voting rights. A prominent example of the department’s work is the Minneapolis Police Department’s comprehensive investigation into the violent death of African-American George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer in 2020.

Trump’s preferred candidate for the post of Attorney General is his loyal Pam Bondi. Her confirmation by the Senate is still pending.