The Justice Department instructed its civil rights division to pause ongoing litigation and refrain from initiating any new cases, according to The Washington Post. The directive, issued Wednesday (Jan. 22), came as Republican attorney Harmeet Dhillon awaits Senate confirmation to lead the federal branch. In a memorandum obtained by WaPo, the Trump administration tasked interim head Kathleen Wolfe with ensuring that attorneys do not file “any new complaints, motions to intervene, agreed-upon remands, amicus briefs or statements of interest.”

The letter reportedly stated that the pause was intended to “ensure that the president’s appointees or designees have the opportunity to decide whether to initiate any new cases.” This decision effectively halted litigation associated with Joe Biden’s term and will likely keep the division inactive for at least the first few weeks of Trump’s presidency. The duration of the pause remains unclear as the Senate continues to work through confirmations for all of Trump’s nominees.

Additionally, the document stressed the need for the federal government to “speak with one voice in its view of the law.” A second memo sent to Wolfe instructed the civil rights division to inform the Justice Department’s chief of staff about any consent decrees finalized “within the last 90 days.”

Dhillon’s Senate confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled, and it could take weeks for the nomination process to conclude. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has thus far faced little resistance for many nominees, although individuals like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., tapped to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Pete Hegseth, nominated for defense secretary, have received well-publicized opposition.

Notably, the Justice Department and its civil rights division play a key role in enforcing anti-discrimination laws. According to WaPo, the Biden administration expedited the finalization of multiple police reform agreements following Trump’s election victory. This effort was reportedly aimed at preventing the incoming administration from dismantling those agreements.