Trump’s new Justice Department leadership orders a freeze on civil rights cases

President Trump’s new Justice Department leadership has halted civil rights litigation and may reconsider police reform agreements negotiated by the Biden administration. The department’s Civil Rights Division attorneys were instructed not to file new complaints and to notify leadership of recent settlements or consent decrees. This raises concerns about abandoning agreements in Louisville and Minneapolis, reached after investigations into police misconduct. The new administration, led by conservative attorney Harmeet Dhillon, is expected to reshape civil rights priorities. The duration of the litigation freeze is uncertain, aimed at ensuring a unified federal stance and allowing appointees to decide on new cases.