ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS ANNOUNCES 311 NEW ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY POSITIONS

     PHOENIX – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

     In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

     "Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

     The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona will receive 10 of the newly-created positions.  “We are very grateful to be receiving such a dramatic infusion of prosecutorial and enforcement resources,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange.  “Our office is dedicated to securing the border, combatting the violent crime that plagues our cities and tribal communities, and addressing the opioid crisis in Arizona.  These additional attorneys will allow us to make even greater strides in these important areas to enhance the safety of our communities.”

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-074_ AUSAs

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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