DOJ Asks Congress For Funding To Fight Domestic Terrorism, Gender Crimes, Systemic Racism

Attorney General Merrick Garland asked Congress for additional funding, which would be used to combat domestic terrorism, gender violence and systemic racism.

The Department of Justice’s more than $35 billion budget request for 2022 reflects the agency’s mission, Attorney General Merrick Garland said during his opening remarks before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday.

Under the proposed budget, the DOJ would prioritize domestic terrorism cases, civil rights investigations, preventing violence against women, programs that promote community-oriented policing, improved resources to prevent gun violence, climate change initiatives, antitrust enforcement and bolstering immigration court capabilities, Garland said.

“I ask for your support for our budget as the entire Department works to ensure adherence to the rule of law, protection of public safety, and equal justice for all Americans,” Garland said during the hearing.

The proposal includes $45 million for FBI investigations into domestic terrorism and $40 million to assist U.S. attorneys in handling increased caseload related to those investigations. It also requests an additional $33 million to address discrimination and $304 million more for programs that address “systemic inequities” in policing.

The DOJ has charged more than 400 individuals in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, CNN reported. Domestic terrorism cases have increased overall in recent years, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The department recently announced civil rights investigations into the Minneapolis, Minnesota and Louisville, Kentucky police departments.

Garland asked for a whopping $1 billion for the DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women. Part of those funds would go towards replenishing the national rape kit backlog.

With 1.3 million pending immigration cases, Garland also asked for funds to support 100 new immigration judges.