Department of Justice FY 2021 Budget Request

President Trump’s FY 2021 Budget proposal totals $31.7 billion for the Department of Justice to support federal law enforcement and criminal justice priorities of our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners.  The request represents a comprehensive investment in the Justice mission and includes investments to sustain and enhance our vital work to counter incidents of mass violence, stem violent crime, combat cybercrimes, dismantle gangs, address illegal immigration and the immigration caseload, protect the elderly from fraud, help rural communities, strengthen the fight against illegal opioids, and continue the department’s commitment to National Security. 

“The President’s budget request would invest significant resources in our nation’s security, including efforts to prevent mass violence while ensuring overall reductions in violent crime that have been achieved in recent years continue,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This budget would also help us continue to fight the opioid epidemic, secure our international borders, and protect our citizens, our economy and infrastructure from cyber threats.  It also gives us the tools to reduce recidivism among federal offenders and provides strong support to the state, local, and tribal police who keep us safe.”

 The Department of Justice’s areas of investment include:

• +$942.2 million to strengthen federal law enforcement’s ability to counter violent crime and support communities to prevent violent crime.
• +$638.8 million in resources to counter incidents of mass violence and support state and local agencies in their efforts to prevent violent crime.
• +$379.6 million to fight the opioid crisis. Additional resources will be devoted to combatting transnational criminal organizations, known for supplying illicit substances to the United States.
• +$409.5 million to continue implementation of the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA). These investments support numerous programs dedicated to reducing recidivism among federal offenders.
• +$143.1 million in immigration related program enhancements to stem the tide of illegal immigration, address increased caseload, and enforce our Nation’s immigration laws.
• +$122.8 million in program enhancements to address critical national security and cyber threats.
• $4.3 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding for federal grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement and victims of crime, to ensure greater safety for law enforcement personnel and the people they serve. Critical programs aimed at protecting the life and safety of state and local law enforcement personnel, including the Public Safety Partnership Program and the Project Safe Neighborhood Program, demonstrate our continuing commitment to supporting state, local, and tribal law enforcement.

For more information, view the FY 2021 Budget and Performance Summary at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-and-performance-summary

Countering Violent Crime

Nationwide crime rates continue to trend downward: the number of violent crimes decreased by 3.3 percent between 2017 and 2018, while the violent crime rate per 100,000 population decreased by 3.9 percent.   However, violent crimes continue to plague our cities and communities, a serious concern that the Department of Justice remains committed to mitigating.

In 2021, the department will build on the attorney general’s priority program, Operation Relentless Pursuit, to reduce violent crime, including human trafficking, transnational criminal activity, and criminal entities in our prisons, and endeavor to dismantle the worst criminal organizations and target the most violent offenders. The operation consists of participation from each DOJ law enforcement agency, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

The FY 2021 budget requests $942.2 million to reduce violent crime and the scourge of human trafficking.

For more information, view the Countering Violent Crime Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

Countering Mass Violence

Mass violence incidents, such as the tragedies of El Paso, Dayton, Orlando, Dallas, and so many others, shatter communities and threaten the fabric of civil society.  This administration is taking bold actions to confront mass violence and violent crime, and ensuring that efforts go beyond traditional law enforcement efforts.  The budget supports a total of $719 million for the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to address targeted violence and to reduce gun crimes. This includes $639 million for DOJ, including $332 million for targeted violence and $307 million for enhanced law enforcement. With this funding, DOJ will utilize a broad spectrum of response, combined with proactive efforts in identification and interdiction of specific threats in order to reduce the risk of mass violence across the United States. Additionally, the budget provides $80 million to DHS to confront these challenges, including $20 million for community grants to support efforts at the local level to identify and mitigate risks.       

The FY 2021 budget requests $638.8 million in program enhancements to counter mass violence and violent crime.  The Department of Justice is committed to restoring law and order by providing federal resources where they are most needed and most effective.  These resources will enable the department to detect, trace, and apprehend dangerous criminals, limiting their painful impact to American citizens. 

For more information, view the Countering Mass Violence Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

Drug Enforcement and the Opioid Crisis

The United States is in the midst of the deadliest drug epidemic in American history.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 67,300 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2018.  Over 46,800, or over two-thirds, of these overdose deaths were caused by heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids.  While the number of overdose deaths represent a 4.1 percent decline from 2017, drug overdoses remain significantly high.  On March 18, 2018, the administration released the Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, and the department remains committed to doing its part to protect the American people from the impact of drugs and drug-related crime nationwide.

The FY 2021 budget requests $379.6 million in program enhancements and transfers to combat the opioid crisis and bolster drug enforcement efforts.  These resources enable the department to target the drug trafficking organizations responsible for opioid abuse and drug-related violence in our communities.  It also enhances the capacity of department agents to deny revenues to drug traffickers using the best cyber capabilities and technologies, enabling the department to keep pace with these nefarious actors.

For more information, view the Drug Enforcement and the Opioid Crisis Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

First Step Act

The timely, efficient, and effective implementation of the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA) is a priority for the department and the administration.  The landmark criminal justice reform bill includes numerous provisions to reduce recidivism among federal offenders, such as increasing inmates’ access to pre-release custody so that they can finish portions of their sentences in the community; expanding the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to assist and treat inmates with opioid use disorders; and increasing the availability of evidence-based risk-reduction programs, such as vocational, life skills, and mental health programs..

The FY 2021 budget requests $409.5 million to continue implementing the FSA.  These investments will allow an additional 8,700 inmates to ease transition back to their communities, bring MAT treatment to every Federal Bureau of Prisons facility in the nation, and increase inmate access to job and life skills training programs needed to successfully re-enter society.

For more information, view the First Step Act Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

Enforce Immigration Laws

The FY 2021 budget strengthens the nation’s security through stronger enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws.  The department is requesting $143.1 million in immigration related program enhancements for FY 2021, to enforce the nation’s immigration laws and defend the federal government against challenges to immigration policies and actions.  These investments will also improve our ability to conduct immigration hearings to help combat illegal immigration to the United States by expanding capacity, improving efficiency, and removing impediments to the timely administration of justice.  This budget supports the department’s efforts, along with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, to fix our immigration system.

For more information, view the Enforce Immigration Laws Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

National Security and Cyber

National security remains one of the Department’s highest priorities.  Threats are constantly evolving, requiring additional investments to mitigate those threats in innovative ways.  Terrorists seek to sabotage critical infrastructure; organized crime syndicates seek to defraud banks and corporations; and spies seek to steal defense and intelligence secrets and intellectual property.  Each threatens our nation’s economy and security. 

The FY 2021 budget supports the department in responding to those evolving threats by dedicating $122.8 million in program enhancements for the FBI and the National Security Division (NSD).

For more information, view the National Security and Cyber Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

State, Local, and Tribal Assistance

The department is solidly committed to the president’s initiatives to reduce violent crime and address the opioid epidemic.  Federal law enforcement officers constitute only 15 percent of the total number of law enforcement officers nationwide; therefore, 85 percent of the officer support relies upon strong partnership with state and local law enforcement.  The department supports its partners in state and local law enforcement, who have critical intelligence about violent crime in their communities, and whose actions are crucial in the fight against violent crime and the opioid epidemic. 

The FY 2021 budget continues its commitment to state, local and tribal law enforcement by investing approximately $4.3 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding in programs to assist them.  Funding has been prioritized to meet the most pressing law enforcement concerns – violent crime and opioid abuse – and to help the victims of crime.

For more information, view the State, Local and Tribal Assistance Fact Sheet at https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2021-budget-fact-sheets

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.