The criminal section is the only part of the division that prosecutes criminal civil rights violations, such as police brutality and hate crimes|Ajay_Suresh|CC BY 2.0
Justice Department prosecutors in the Civil Rights Division’s criminal section resigned in large numbers this week, signaling deep concern over the direction of the office under the Trump administration.
At least six senior prosecutors stepped down, including the section’s longtime chief Jim Felte and deputy Paige Fitzgerald, along with three other experienced lawyers.
The criminal section is the only part of the division that prosecutes criminal civil rights violations, such as police brutality and hate crimes.
Prosecutors grew frustrated after the administration excluded the Civil Rights Division from the initial investigation into a fatal shooting by an immigration officer in Minneapolis.
Around the same time, several veteran prosecutors in the attorney’s office in Minnesota also resigned.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the FBI and ICE are conducting parallel inquiries and found no basis yet for a civil rights criminal investigation.