NO TIME FOR THAT

Federal Drug Prosecutions Plunge Under Trump Amid His Immigration Crackdown

Insiders at the Justice Department say they are too busy on immigration raids to have time to dismantle criminal drug networks.

President Donald Trump’s administration has prosecuted the fewest drug offenders in decades, amid his crackdown on immigration. Insiders at the DOJ and law enforcement agencies have grumbled that investigations into criminal networks have stalled in lieu of sending agents on highly publicized deportation raids. There was a 10 percent drop in charges in the year-to-date in September, down by 1,200 cases, putting it at the lowest rate since the turn of the millennium. Meanwhile, there was a 24 percent drop in more serious drug-related prosecutions, such as money laundering and conspiracy. These types of charges are typically associated with dismantling large-scale criminal drug networks. Reuters analyzed 2 million federal court documents and spoke with 15 individuals, including both current and former law enforcement officers. One such anonymous Justice Department official said, “We’re seeing a reduced amount of time on long-term investigations so agents can go out in their raid gear and be seen supporting immigration raids.” A second former official, who oversaw part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s pivot to immigration enforcement, said, “You cannot conduct thorough, multi-agency drug investigations if you’re running around doing this other stuff.” The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.