Justice Department career officials reshuffled to advance Donald Trump's immigration agenda
Justice Department officials were swiftly reassigned in the wake of President Donald Trump's Monday inauguration in order to help align the department with the new administration's priorities – particularly on immigration, a department official familiar with the matter told USA TODAY.
In a speech to supporters Monday, Trump described immigration as his "number one issue."
The swift moves at the Justice Department, which were in place by Tuesday, show the administration moving to enact his immigration agenda at the department level.
A Justice Department spokesperson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
At least 15 senior-level officials at the Justice Department had been reassigned by Tuesday, according to reports from the Washington Post and CNN, which cited people familiar with the changes.
Both outlets described reshuffling in the criminal and national security divisions of the department. The criminal division is responsible for enforcing federal criminal laws, often partnering with the 93 U.S. attorney's offices across the country. The national security division guards against national security threats by promoting coordination between prosecutors, law enforcement, and intelligence authorities.
CNN and the New York Times also reported new leadership in U.S. attorney's offices in D.C. and New York by Tuesday.
The Justice Department will be a key player as Trump's immigration agenda unfolds.
Different portions of the Justice Department are responsible for prosecuting immigration cases and conducting immigration court proceedings. The department also defends administration policies in court.
Even before his election, Trump described legal avenues he might pursue to achieve his campaign promise of mass deportation, such as invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to hasten deportations. If Trump pursued that pathway and was sued, his Justice Department would be responsible for defending it in court.
Trump also signed multiple executive orders on immigration Monday, including one seeking to end birthright citizenship in the United States. By Tuesday, 18 states as well as the ACLU had sued to challenge that order's constitutionality.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration also authorized federal authorities to make immigration arrests on school campuses.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ career officials reshuffled to advance Trump immigration agenda