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The Department of Justice, now helmed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, is scaling back its criminal enforcement of foreign interests operating in the United States.
According to a memo sent to DOJ employees Wednesday, Bondi has disbanded the Foreign Influence Task Force. As a result, the Foreign Agents Registration Act unit will no longer pursue aggressive enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Under the heading “Shifting Resources in the National Security Division,” the memo states:
To free resources to address more pressing priorities, and end risks of further weaponization and abuses of prosecutorial discretion, the Foreign Influence Task Force shall be disbanded. Recourse to criminal charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and 18 U.S.C. § 951 shall be limited to instances of alleged conduct similar to more traditional espionage by foreign government actors. With respect to FARA and § 951, the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, including the FARA Unit, shall focus on civil enforcement, regulatory initiatives, and public guidance.
A lawyer I spoke with who specializes in FARA told me the following:
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