ACLU: Violent Policing Continues in Cities Where Trump DOJ Abandoned Reform — ProPublica
ProPublica — 2026-06-30 04:30:00 — www.propublica.org
President Trump’s Justice Department Ended Federal Oversight of Troubled Police Departments, Calling Reforms “Factually Unjustified”
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department last year dropped federal oversight of police departments in cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis, arguing that reform efforts were “factually unjustified.” This move marked a significant shift away from the Justice Department’s traditional focus on civil rights enforcement, a change that began after Trump won a second term in late 2024.
ACLU Report Contradicts Trump Administration’s Claims
A new report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) directly challenges the Trump administration’s justification for ending oversight. The ACLU reviewed hundreds of police use-of-force reports in communities where, under the Biden administration, the DOJ had previously found evidence of unconstitutional policing. The ACLU found that officers in these cities continued to engage in the very behaviors that had drawn federal scrutiny, including excessive and dangerous force against people experiencing mental health crises.
For example, the ACLU documented cases where Minneapolis police repeatedly shocked a man with a Taser after he had complied with their orders, and where Louisville officers escalated a mental health call by breaking a car window and pointing a gun, ultimately shocking a man seven times with a Taser.
Trump’s Deployment of Federal Forces and Racial Profiling Allegations
In the fall of 2025, Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard troops, U.S. Marshals, and immigration officials to Memphis, Tennessee, citing “the crime that’s going on.” According to ProPublica, this operation ensnared innocent residents of the majority-Black city, who reported being targeted and harassed because of their race. The U.S. Marshals Service disputed claims of racial profiling.
White House Dismisses ACLU Findings
When presented with the ACLU’s findings, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the report as “partisan talking points” from an organization she said “suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Jackson defended the administration’s approach, stating, “President Trump is a champion for our great law enforcement officers and has encouraged them to arrest criminals and enforce the law — unlike the Biden Administration.”
Impact of Ending Federal Oversight
The ACLU report highlights that after the Trump administration dropped lawsuits and quashed reform cases in 2025, local police departments in Louisville and Minneapolis continued to use excessive force and failed to properly review incidents. In Louisville, officers struck people while they were handcuffed and escalated encounters with people experiencing mental health crises. The report also notes that progress on reforms has been slow, especially in addressing police responses to mental health calls.
Conclusion
President Trump’s Justice Department ended federal oversight of troubled police departments, claiming reforms were “factually unjustified.” However, the ACLU’s comprehensive review found that the problematic behaviors persisted, contradicting the administration’s rationale. While the White House continues to defend Trump’s approach and dismiss criticism, the evidence suggests that the lack of federal oversight has allowed excessive force and racial targeting to continue unchecked in several American cities.