According to reports, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent a memo to the Civil Rights Division, freezing all ongoing litigation stemming from the Biden administration and ordering it to stop pursuing new lawsuits or settlements.
The Washington Post reported that a memo sent to interim division chief Kathleen Wolf, appointed by the Trump administration, urged lawyers to “not file new charges, intervening motions, remand agreements, court briefs, etc.” It was first reported that he had given instructions. , or an interesting statement. ”
The memo does not specify how long the freeze will last, but it effectively halts the division until President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the department, Harmeet Dhillon, is confirmed by the Senate.
The publication also notes that the freeze is “consistent with the department’s goal of ensuring that the federal government has a unified voice on the law and that presidential appointees or designees have the opportunity to decide whether to file new lawsuits.” “We are doing so,” it said. ”
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Department of Justice in Washington, DC (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A person familiar with the memo confirmed its contents to Fox News.
The Department of Justice has not commented on the matter.
In a separate memo, Wolf was also told that he must report to the Justice Department’s chief of staff any consent decrees finalized by the department in the past 90 days.
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President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Earlier this month, a Kentucky judge ruled that the Department of Justice and the city of Louisville had forged a police reform agreement during a hearing that one court participant described as a hasty attempt by the Biden administration to undermine President-elect Trump. refused to sign the legislation immediately.
But Federal Judge Benjamin Beaton will “rubber stamp” the 240-page reform bill sparked by the 2020 police-involved shooting of Breonna Taylor, said Kyle Brosnan, an adviser to the Oversight Project. He reportedly refused.
Taylor died in a hail of police gunfire after Louisville police officers tried to serve a drug warrant at the home of her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. Walker fired a “warning shot” through the door, hitting Officer Jonathan Mattingly in the leg.
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Photo of Breonna Taylor shared at the 2022 Black Women’s Advocacy March at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Frontline Action Hub)
Brosnan noted that consent decrees are different from other legal agreements in that they cannot be easily revoked by an executive order or a change of mind by one party.
The consent decree alleges a pattern and practice of racial bias within the Louisville Police Department, including during traffic stops, sexual assault investigations, and the use of force.
At least two other police reform consent ordinances are going through the legal process, one in Maryland and one in Minnesota.
On January 6, the Department of Justice announced a deal with the city of Minneapolis to reform the department’s “unconstitutional and illegal practices” that it said violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 14th Amendment, which still requires court approval. An agreement was reached.
In October 2024, federal authorities filed charges against the Maryland State Police for allegedly violating civil rights laws.
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“The United States found that when MDSP used a specific physical fitness test and a specific written exam to recruit entry-level personnel, the tests disqualified more women and African American applicants than other applicants. , the court said, violated Title VII because it was not work-related. Document status.
Maryland State Police disputes the allegations.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and @GregWehner on Twitter.
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