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2h ago

Federal Drug Prosecutions Fall to Decades Low Under Trump as Resources Shift to Immigration

A Reuters review of court records links falling cases to a resource shift toward immigration raids.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media, after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to the power of federal judges by restricting their ability to grant broad legal relief in cases as the justices acted in a legal fight over President Donald Trump's bid to limit birthright citizenship, in the Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington D.C., June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo
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Overview

  • Through September 2025, federal drug charges are down about 10% year to date, or roughly 1,200 fewer cases, reaching the lowest rate since around 2000.
  • More serious drug-related prosecutions, including money laundering and conspiracy, have fallen about 24%.
  • Reuters based its findings on an analysis of roughly 2 million federal court records and interviews with 15 current and former law-enforcement officials.
  • Law-enforcement insiders say DOJ and DEA personnel have been redirected to high-visibility immigration and deportation operations, constraining long-term drug investigations.
  • The Daily Beast reports it has asked the Justice Department for comment, and the article includes no on-record response from the department.