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The U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday that it is dropping lawsuits against the police departments of Minneapolis and Louisville, and ending multiple federal investigations into other local law enforcement agencies, marking a sharp shift in oversight under the Trump administration.
The decision comes following the confirmation of Harmeet K. Dhillon, Trump’s new pick to lead the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, and signals a clear rollback of federal involvement in addressing unconstitutional policing.
Lawsuits stemming from high-profile civil rights probes under the Biden administration — including those into the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor — will be dismissed, officials said. The underlying investigations had found consistent patterns of excessive force, racial discrimination, and free speech violations.
“These lawsuits were built on facts, evidence, and hours of footage and testimony, often from officers themselves,” said Kristen Clarke, former Civil Rights Division head under Biden. “They were not political.”
Dhillon, however, blasted the use of consent decrees — legal agreements used to enforce police reform — calling them “factually unjustified” and driven by “unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats with an anti-police agenda.”
“Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments,” she said in a statement.
Consent decrees are commonly used to reform troubled police departments by mandating changes to policy, training, oversight, and accountability structures. While not criminal investigations, they are often sparked by widespread patterns of abuse or discrimination.
The dismissals affect not only Louisville and Minneapolis but also ongoing federal reviews in Phoenix; Memphis; Trenton, New Jersey; Mount Vernon, New York; Oklahoma City; and the Louisiana State Police.
The move has sparked backlash from civil rights advocates and local leaders, who say it undermines accountability and justice for affected communities.
Minneapolis and Louisville vow to continue reforms
Despite the federal retreat, local officials in both cities pledged to proceed with reforms independently.
“We are moving ahead rapidly to continue implementing police reform that ensures constitutional policing,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I made a promise to our community, and we are keeping that promise.”
Minnesota’s Department of Human Rights, which also conducted its own investigation into Minneapolis police practices, said its consent decree remains in full effect.
“While the DOJ walks away from their federal consent decree nearly five years from the murder of George Floyd, our state agreement isn’t going anywhere,” said Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “The transformational changes to address race-based policing must continue.”
A pattern of rollback
The shift mirrors actions taken during Trump’s first term, when the Civil Rights Division pulled back on federal oversight in cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Ferguson, Missouri — all previously subject to intense scrutiny following fatal police encounters.
After taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden directed the DOJ to resume oversight, leading to renewed investigations and consent decree proposals, including the 2023 findings against the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments.
Now, that momentum has stalled under new leadership.
What’s next?
While cities may pursue reform on their own or through state-level agreements, advocates fear the loss of federal pressure will slow or halt meaningful progress. And without the Justice Department’s investigative authority and resources, it becomes more difficult to detect systemic abuses in law enforcement.
“The tremendous amount of work that lies ahead for the City, including MPD, cannot be understated,” Lucero said. “Our Department will be here every step of the way.”
