Justice Department adding over 300 assistant US attorneys

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced it is adding approximately 300 assistant U.S. attorneys, referring to the hires as the “largest increase in decades.”

The department said in a statement the move would “increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.” 

{mosads}The DOJ said it will add 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors and 35 immigration prosecutors. 

The department said that many of the civil enforcement assistant U.S. attorneys would help support the Trump administration’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force. 

“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,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. 

The announcement comes as President Trump continues to attack the department for its role in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia’s election meddling. 

Trump revealed late last month that he regretted his decision to choose Sessions as attorney general. 

Sessions has been a target of the president’s ire since he recused himself from the Russia probe in 2016.