According to Fox News, the Department of Justice just slammed the brakes on Biden-era lawsuits targeting police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville. On May 21, 2025, the DOJ announced it was dismissing these cases and shutting down investigations into several other cities’ police forces. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called the lawsuits a costly overreach, and conservatives are cheering the move.
The DOJ’s decision halts lawsuits accusing Louisville and Minneapolis police of widespread unconstitutional practices, while also closing probes in Phoenix, Memphis, and elsewhere. These actions, launched under the Biden administration, leaned heavily on statistical disparities to cry foul, a tactic Dhillon blasted as flawed. It’s a bold pivot, signaling the Trump administration’s push to restore local control.
Minneapolis, still scarred by George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, faced intense scrutiny that sparked nationwide protests and reform demands. The DOJ’s lawsuit claimed systemic issues, but critics argue it painted with too broad a brush. Now, with the case dismissed “with prejudice,” the city might breathe easier, though some fear reform momentum could stall.
Louisville’s police came under fire after Breonna Taylor’s killing in March 2020, which fueled a DOJ lawsuit and a pending consent decree. The DOJ’s retreat from this case, alongside Minneapolis, suggests a rejection of federal overreach. Dhillon’s team argues these decrees cost taxpayers millions without fixing core problems.
“That’s over $100 million in taxpayer expense, often without significant impact,” Dhillon said, slamming the decrees’ price tag. Her point stings: why drain city budgets for federal babysitting that delivers questionable results? It’s a question conservatives have long asked about bureaucratic meddling.
Consent decrees, used in places like Ferguson and Los Angeles, let federal courts oversee local police for years. They’re pricey, often costing $10 million annually for big departments, and can linger for over a decade. The Trump administration sees them as a blunt tool that punishes more than it reforms.
The Biden administration’s approach leaned on sweeping accusations of “widespread patterns” of misconduct. DOJ officials now say those claims misread data, equating disparities with deliberate bias. It’s a classic case of progressive overreach, critics argue, where good intentions trip over bad math.
“These sweeping consent decrees would have imposed years of micromanagement,” Dhillon noted, decrying the loss of local control. Her words resonate with those who see federal oversight as a one-size-fits-all disaster. Communities, not bureaucrats, should steer their police, she insists.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is now reviewing all pending consent decrees to decide their fate. This move signals a broader rollback of what conservatives call a politicized justice agenda. It’s a polite middle finger to the Biden era’s heavy-handed tactics.
Besides Minneapolis and Louisville, the DOJ is closing investigations into police in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City, and Louisiana’s state police. These probes, launched under Biden, are being scrapped for relying on shaky evidence. The message is clear: no more fishing expeditions.
Dhillon didn’t mince words, calling the decrees a “failed experiment” that handcuffed local leaders. Her critique lands like a truth bomb for those tired of federal overreach. Local police aren’t perfect, but top-down fixes rarely hit the mark.
“Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control,” Dhillon said, pointing to unelected bureaucrats as the real problem. She’s not wrong—centralized power often breeds resentment, not solutions. Conservatives nod, seeing this as a win for accountability.
With the DOJ retracting findings of constitutional violations, cities may regain autonomy but face pressure to self-reform. Floyd’s and Taylor’s deaths left deep wounds, and public trust in police remains fragile. Dismissing lawsuits won’t erase those scars overnight.
Critics of the DOJ’s move worry it could signal a step back from accountability. Yet supporters argue local leaders, not federal monitors, are best equipped to address their communities’ needs. It’s a gamble, but one conservatives believe favors practical progress over symbolic gestures.
The timing, just days before the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s death, adds weight to the decision. While some will mourn a lost chance for federal oversight, others see it as a return to common sense. Actions have consequences, and the DOJ’s pivot proves it.
