The second issue that will require independence and good judgment
from the Deputy Attorney General is the Justice Department's threat to
withhold Federal funding to prevent violence across America, including
in the city of Chicago. The Trump administration's message has been confusing, to say the
least, when it comes to Federal efforts to prevent violence. On the one
hand, President Trump, in the middle of the night, tweets ``Chicago
needs help,'' and ``Send in the Feds,'' but then the administration
threatens to cut off critical funding for violence prevention under
programs like Byrne JAG unless cities agree to turn their local police
departments into deportation forces. It is pretty obvious that cutting off Federal violence prevention
funding will hurt the cause of violence prevention. Do not take my word
for it. Ask any law enforcement leader. Listen to what the International Association of Chiefs of Police
said: ``Penalizing communities by withholding assistance funding to law
enforcement
agencies and other critical programs is counterproductive to our shared
mission of reducing violent crime and keeping communities safe.''
It is no secret that the Attorney General is fixated on immigration,
but we need the Deputy Attorney General to ensure that this fixation
does not undermine the important ways that the Justice Department and
local law enforcement cooperate to reduce violent crime. This administration cannot call itself a law-and-order administration
and then do something like cut the funds for violence prevention when
police chiefs across America say that is just wrong. The third area of critical importance is criminal justice policy.
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