In the midst of his cabinet-building efforts, newly elected US President Donald Trump (Trump) faces a particularly urgent task of selecting a Secretary of Justice to drive his immigration policies.
Trump, a Republican president-elect, had been angered by the actions of his perceived obstructive Justice Department secretaries during his first term. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions allowed a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign team and Russia (the so-called “Russian collusion”), and former Attorney General Bill Barr publicly rejected his claims of fraud and deception in the 2020 presidential election.
Currently, Trump and his transition team’s goal is to establish a Justice Department composed of loyalists after his inauguration on January 20. The leadership team, led by conservative lawyer Mark Paoletta, has warned Justice Department employees to be prepared to support Trump’s agenda or risk losing their jobs.
Vice President-elect JD Vance stated in an ABC interview in October that the selection of the Attorney General will be Trump’s most crucial decision, second only to the President in importance.
The rough outline of Trump’s future plans for the Justice Department has been conveyed through his various public comments, Paoletta’s statements, interviews with former Justice Department lawyers, and public forums.
It is expected that federal prosecutors in the Justice Department may be instructed to prioritize handling various cases related to illegal immigration. Furthermore, cities seeking more than $2.91 billion in Justice Department grant funding may be required to agree to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement agencies.
The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is expected to shift its focus to legally challenging government and private sector DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives.
According to sources familiar with the matter, potential candidates for Attorney General include Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, Sullivan & Cromwell lawyer Robert Giuffra, Senator Mike Lee (Utah Republican), and Matthew Whitaker, who briefly served as Acting Attorney General in Trump’s first term.
A Justice Department spokesperson stated, “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring a smooth and effective transition to the new government.”
In July, the US Supreme Court ruled that the President enjoys broad criminal immunity for official actions.
(Adapted from a report by Reuters)