1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am deeply concerned about the recent demand from the Department of Justice (DOJ) requiring all 93 U.S. attorney offices to provide extensive data on their compliance with President Trump's law enforcement priorities. This unprecedented request threatens the independence of our U.S. attorneys and diverts crucial resources from addressing genuine criminal threats. The DOJ's demand for information on investigations into 'organized political violence', with a specific focus on left-wing groups, cases related to drug cartels targeting specific nationalities, actions against sanctuary cities, and investigations of adult sponsors of unaccompanied minors, appears to be more about political loyalty than effective law enforcement. This approach undermines the fundamental principle that justice should be blind to political considerations. Our U.S. attorney offices are already overburdened with pending criminal and civil matters. Forcing them to reallocate resources to comply with this politically motivated data request will only exacerbate existing backlogs and hinder their ability to prosecute actual crimes. Moreover, the administration has already reassigned thousands of federal personnel to immigration efforts, resulting in a decrease in narcotics investigations. This shift in priorities is alarming and counterproductive to public safety. The Department of Justice should be focused on upholding the law impartially, not serving as a tool for political agendas. I urge you to take immediate action to protect the independence of our U.S. attorneys. Please speak out against this DOJ demand and work to ensure that our federal prosecutors can focus on investigating and prosecuting real crimes that threaten our communities. The integrity of our justice system and the safety of our citizens depend on maintaining the autonomy and effectiveness of our U.S. attorney offices.