Official announcements or press releases from the U.S. Justice Department

Under Trump's Leadership, Justice Department Curtails FACE Act Prosecutions, Dismisses Cases

Jan 24, 2025, 09:07 PM

The U.S. Justice Department, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, has issued an order to curtail prosecutions against individuals accused of blocking reproductive health care facilities. This move is described as an effort to end the 'weaponization' of law enforcement. The memo, authored by Justice Department chief of staff Chad Mizelle, states that prosecutions and civil actions under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) will now only be pursued in 'extraordinary circumstances' or in cases with 'significant aggravating factors.' Additionally, Mizelle ordered the immediate dismissal of three FACE Act cases related to blockades of clinics in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Ohio in 2021. This policy shift follows Trump's recent pardons of several anti-abortion activists convicted of violating the FACE Act, and comes in the context of his address to the March for Life, where he reaffirmed his support for anti-abortion protesters. Mizelle also noted that more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers, pro-life organizations, and churches were attacked following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, yet nearly all FACE Act prosecutions have targeted anti-abortion protesters.