The Trump Justice Department has moved to terminate federal police reform agreements with Louisville and Minneapolis, prompting a fierce response from Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon delivered a sharp rebuke to Crockett’s emotional criticism. Does this move represent prioritizing local governance?
Trump DOJ Ends Federal Police Reform Agreements
The Department of Justice under President Trump announced Wednesday it would move to drop police reform agreements previously established with Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. These agreements, initiated following the 2020 deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, were designed to address what the Biden administration characterized as unconstitutional policing practices and civil rights violations.
The DOJ justified its decision by arguing that both cities have already implemented necessary reforms independently, making federal oversight redundant and unnecessary. According to the department’s filing, the agreements had faced delays in federal court due to multiple DOJ requests for extensions in filing required documentation.
BREAKING: The Justice Department said it is moving to drop police reform agreements reached with the cities of Louisville and Minneapolis, which were intended to address allegations of systemic unconstitutional policing and civil rights violations. https://t.co/sXzaIIlS8r
— ABC News (@ABC) May 21, 2025
Rep. Crockett’s Outrage Meets Dhillon’s Response
Representative Jasmine Crockett took to social media to express her outrage over the DOJ’s decision, suggesting it undermined justice for Taylor and Floyd. “The (Biden) DOJ found that police in Louisville and Minneapolis were violating people’s civil rights—so they created a plan to fix it, with rules the departments had to follow,” Crockett wrote, adding that the Trump DOJ’s action “feels less like justice—and more like protecting politics over people.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon delivered a pointed response that effectively shut down Crockett’s criticisms. “Congresswoman, educate yourself. Minnesota is already under a state consent decree, and Louisville is hiring its own monitor,” Dhillon stated firmly, emphasizing that “Both cities have changed their police practices. Dusted and done.”
The DOJ found that police in Louisville and Minneapolis were violating people’s civil rights—so they created a plan to fix it, with rules the departments had to follow.
Now Trump’s DOJ wants to shut it down… like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd’s lives didn’t mean a damn thing.… https://t.co/4UaeUVzbtE
— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) May 21, 2025
Shift Toward Local Control in Police Reform
Dhillon further defended the DOJ’s position by highlighting the Trump administration’s philosophy regarding federal intervention in local matters. “The Federal Government is not the answer to everything– hardly anything, in fact!” she declared, underscoring the administration’s commitment to state and local governance over federal oversight.
The DOJ’s decision reflects a significant policy shift under Trump’s leadership, prioritizing local control and accountability mechanisms already in place. Minneapolis currently operates under a state consent decree while Louisville is in the process of hiring its monitor, which the DOJ considers sufficient to ensure continued reform efforts without federal involvement.
Sources indicate that Representative Crockett has not responded to Dhillon’s rebuttal, which effectively highlighted the existing reform measures and local oversight mechanisms. The exchange exemplifies the contrasting approaches to law enforcement oversight between Democratic lawmakers who favor federal intervention and the Trump administration’s preference for state and local control.