Trump’s Speech Further Compromises Independence of the DOJ

Civil Rights Enforcement News 03.14.25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick McNeil, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an advisor at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after President Trump’s speech at the U.S. Department of Justice:

“This afternoon, some of the most hallowed halls of justice in America were disgraced by the president of the United States, who has inappropriately installed his personal lawyers and other loyalists into leadership roles at the Department of Justice. This reinforces what we knew: The independence of the department has been compromised. During his remarks, the president sought to undermine faith in our judicial system, attacked lawyers who support due process and the rule of law, and made it clear that he expects the attorney general and other leaders to use the full force and resources of the Justice Department to roll back our civil and human rights, target his enemies, and operationalize a worldview that perpetuates white supremacy. The anti-immigrant rhetoric that both he and the attorney general used was reprehensible and unacceptable.

“In our democracy, Justice Department lawyers — including the attorney general — are the people’s lawyers, not the president’s lawyers, and they have a sacred duty to enforce our nation’s laws without prejudice and with an eye toward justice. The DOJ must be seen by the public — every member, from every community — as fair and independent arbiters of our legal system. Today’s appearance at the DOJ by the president, during which he thanked and called out his appointees and personal lawyers, will further tarnish the public’s trust of the department and undermine our democracy. This cannot be the way that the DOJ — the nation’s signature agency for the enforcement of our federal civil rights laws — functions moving forward. We need a DOJ that is working for the people, not the president, and we demand better of our federal government and its leaders.”

The Senate is currently considering the nomination of Harmeet Dhillon, another one of Trump’s personal lawyers, to serve as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice. Her confirmation would only intensify the department’s crusade against our communities, our rights, and our democracy.

Resources

  • LETTER: The Leadership Conference and 65 national organizations wrote to senators this week in opposition to Ms. Dhillon’s confirmation.
  • MEMO: The Leadership Conference released a memo following Ms. Dhillon’s confirmation hearing that highlighted many of her troubling responses.
  • STATEMENT FOR RECORD: The Leadership Conference submitted a statement for the record ahead of Ms. Dhillon’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • BRIEF: The Leadership Conference released a brief about the history of the Civil Rights Division, the importance of strong leadership, and the recent whiplash in federal civil rights enforcement.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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