Seven Democratic senators are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) about recent personnel and policy changes in its Civil Rights Division under President Donald Trump’s second-term administration.
In a letter dated Friday, members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee expressed concern about the reassignment of several senior career attorneys and what they view as a broader attempt to redirect the division’s civil rights enforcement priorities.
“Taken together, these measures appear to be an attempt to cajole career officials at the division to leave voluntarily in order to fundamentally transform its work,” wrote the senators.
The letter was signed by Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, along with Peter Welch, Mazie Hirono, Sheldon Whitehouse, Adam Schiff, Cory Booker, and Alex Padilla.
The senators have asked for a full account of all personnel changes made in the Civil Rights Division since January, when Trump re-entered office and appointed former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General.
Civil Rights Division Faces Restructuring Under New DOJ Leadership
The Civil Rights Division, established in 1957 after the Civil Rights Act, has traditionally played a vital role in protecting Americans from discrimination based on race, sex, disability, and gender identity. Under Trump’s renewed administration, however, the DOJ has shifted its focus significantly.
Recent reports indicate the division has paused investigations into police misconduct and instead launched new inquiries—such as one targeting the city of Los Angeles for alleged violations of gun rights laws. The Justice Department has also adjusted its stance on transgender rights and opened probes into alleged antisemitism at U.S. colleges involving pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Last week, the DOJ reassigned roughly a dozen senior attorneys from key Civil Rights Division units, including those responsible for investigating police departments and enforcing voting rights and disability protections.
Concerns Over Politicization of Civil Rights Enforcement
Democratic lawmakers argue that these changes undermine the impartial enforcement of civil rights laws and jeopardize the DOJ’s independence.
“The division relies on the abilities and knowledge of its career staff to carry out the great responsibility of enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws without regard to politics,” the senators emphasized.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not respond to media requests for comment on the senators’ letter or the reported reassignments.
The move reflects broader political tensions over the direction of civil rights enforcement in the U.S., with Democrats accusing the Trump administration of politicizing traditionally independent legal institutions.
