The Department of Justice under the Trump administration has been experiencing a series of defeats in court, primarily due to the unreliable testimonies of federal officers. This pattern reveals a troubling erosion of the legal principle known as the “presumption of regularity,” which assumes government actions are executed in good faith.

Historically, U.S. prosecutors have boasted high conviction rates, but recent figures tell a different story. For instance, in Chicago, out of 92 arrests related to officer assaults last fall, 74 led to no charges, and only five cases are still pending. Similarly, in Los Angeles, federal public defenders have achieved a clean sweep of victories in all six cases involving ICE protesters tried since June. This stark decline in successful prosecutions is a deviation from the norm where less than 1% of federal defendants were acquitted in 2024.

One significant incident that underscores this issue involved Minneapolis prosecutors who had to drop felony assault charges against two Venezuelan men accused of attacking an ICE officer with makeshift weapons. The case collapsed when video evidence contradicted the officers' claims, leading to a rare admission from ICE director Todd Lyons that the officers might have lied under oath.

Repeated failures have not only been embarrassing but have also highlighted deeper issues within the DOJ, such as reliance on loyalty over competence and an apparent willingness to engage in vindictive prosecutions. This has led to a depletion of experienced prosecutors, replaced increasingly by those whose primary qualification seems to be their allegiance to MAGA ideologies.

Despite these setbacks, the DOJ remains a potent force, capable of disrupting lives with its persistent legal pursuits. This situation raises concerns about the administration's respect for the rule of law and its impact on the justice system's integrity. As the DOJ continues to face criticism and legal defeats, the administration's approach to law enforcement remains under intense scrutiny.

For more law-related stories, check out Techdirt's coverage on the influence of Trump allies in media and the controversies surrounding DOJ practices.