SPLC Action Fund: Attorney General Garland Must Reset Course for DOJ 

Montgomery, Ala. — SPLC Action Fund President and CEO Margaret Huang released the following statement in response to the confirmation of Merrick Garland as U.S. Attorney General:  
“We congratulate Attorney General Garland, and we look forward to working with him and the Department of Justice he now leads. After four years of politicization of the department, Attorney General Garland is well positioned to restore the department’s independence and to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice. 

“Now that he is confirmed, Attorney General Garland must act with urgency to repair the enormous damage done to the Department of Justice by the Trump administration and to prioritize addressing the enormous challenges facing our nation. This includes supporting a fundamental reimagining of policing with a deep reinvestment in community-based programs, reinvigorating the department’s Civil Rights Division, addressing structural racism and historic inequalities, removing unjust barriers to fundamental voting rights, expanding inclusive anti-discrimination protections, supporting decarceration by reducing the federal prison population and eliminating the federal death penalty.  

“In addition, he should promote rather than undermine the rights of immigrants and people seeking asylum, including by ending the needless criminalization of immigrants, restoring protections for individuals seeking asylum, and undoing the weaponization of the immigration court system.  

“Finally, over the past four years, our nation has tangibly suffered from the fact that the Department of Justice and other front-line federal agencies failed to meaningfully combat the rising tide of hate crimes, hate groups, armed extremists, and white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys. We are pleased that, during his confirmation hearings, Attorney General Garland vowed to prioritize the prosecution of white supremacists and others who stormed the U.S Capitol building on January 6. We share the view that fighting the white supremacy and extremism threatening our democracy must be a top priority and must be part of an aggressive approach to reimagining how we can truly become a more just and equitable nation.”