As US President Donald Trump rushes to tighten his grip on the federal government, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered its civil rights division to halt ongoing litigations initiated during the previous Joe Biden administration. News agency Reuters reported Wednesday (Jan 22), citing an internal memo, that the DOJ has directed the division to stop pursuing new cases and avoid forging agreements.

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Notably, the division is tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws in the country.

The memo indicates that the Trump administration may revisit some settlements and agreements reached under the Biden administration, especially over the last 90 days.

“The new administration may wish to reconsider settlements and consent decrees negotiated and approved by the prior administration,” the memo said, reported CNN.

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Impact of the move

The move could affect the civil rights division’s settlement reached with Minneapolis regarding reforms in the city’s police department. The agreement, reached earlier this month, was forged after federal investigators found a pattern of discrimination and civil rights abuses following the killing of George Floyd by cops.

The freezing could also affect police reforms in Louisville. Investigators reportedly found evidence of targeted discrimination against the Black population in the region following the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020.

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The settlement was reached in December.

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The Biden administration in its final days rushed to forge these settlements and implement police reforms.

The move by the DOJ comes as Trump’s pick for leading the department, Pam Bondi, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate. For now, the department is being led by its interim chief James McHenry, a longtime DOJ immigration attorney.

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Trump and team have long opposed the use of court-ordered consent decrees to enforce police reform efforts. The Republicans have in fact championed the slogan of “back the blue,” which critics say translates to support for police even when officers are accused of civil rights violations.

(With inputs from agencies)