The Justice Department has proposed merging the Drug Enforcement Administration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of a dramatic shift in the operations of the department’s component agencies and headquarters divisions, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The memo — sent from the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche this week to top department leaders — also suggested transferring INTERPOL Washington, a part of the Justice Department that coordinates with law enforcement agencies around the world, to the U.S. Marshals Service.
There could also be reductions to the department’s tax enforcement division, with attorneys in the division transferred to U.S. attorneys’ offices across the nation.
The memo requested feedback on the proposals by Wednesday. Many of the proposals involve agencies and offices created by Congress, and it’s unclear how easily some of these changes could be executed without congressional approval.
Justice Department officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss proposals that have not been made public, stressed that they are intended to solicit feedback and are not a done deal.
The Justice Department oversees about a half-dozen component agencies whose leaders report to the attorney general. They include the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals and the Bureau of Prisons.
While there is some overlap in these agencies, each is tasked with carrying out a distinct mission.
The ATF, for example, works with local law enforcement to regulate guns and solve gun crimes The U.S. Marshals have a broad portfolio that includes protecting federal judges and courthouses and arresting suspects in federal crimes. The Bureau of Prisons manages federal prisons, and the DEA combats drug manufacturing and trafficking.
The memo does not detail how the changes would be implemented and what, if any, functions of the affected offices would be eliminated.
Many of the proposals reflect the public priorities of the Trump administration. For example, the memo floats reducing the number of attorneys working on investigations and prosecutions related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
On her first day leading the Justice Department, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed her prosecutors to limit the circumstances in which they bring charges under that act.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
