As racial tensions simmered, Trump administration sought to defund DOJ 'peacemaker' unit
As racial tensions spilled into America’s streets, the Trump administration repeatedly sought to eliminate a long-standing Justice Department unit that for decades has mediated racial, ethnic and gender clashes that are once again surging across the country.
For four straight years, DOJ's Community Relations Service (CRS), established nearly 60 years ago by the landmark Civil Rights Act, was variously targeted for severe staffing reductions and outright elimination, according to Trump budget proposals.
While congressional intervention kept the unit afloat, the persistent budgetary attacks and the Trump administration’s pursuit of harsh immigration policies along with a rollback of some civil rights protections prompted some wary communities to refuse its help.
Broken trust
The turmoil, a senior Justice official acknowledged, dealt a severe blow to public confidence in a long-trusted asset known nationally as the “peacemaker program” at time of deep division in the United States. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said some doors were closed to the service because of a lack of trust during the prior administration.
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