Justice Department Dismisses Prosecutors Involved in FACE Act Cases

The Justice Department has dismissed at least four prosecutors who were involved in prosecuting cases under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act during the Biden administration, according to a government official familiar with the matter. Among those terminated is Sanjay Patel, a veteran federal prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division's criminal section, who had been placed on administrative leave the previous month. The dismissals coincide with the finalization of a report on the FACE Act and its application during the Biden administration. The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, aims to protect access to reproductive health services by criminalizing threats and intimidation at clinics. Nonviolent first-time offenses are classified as misdemeanors, while repeat offenses or those resulting in bodily harm can be prosecuted as felonies. The forthcoming report is being prepared by the Justice Department's "weaponization working group," established early in Attorney General Pam Bondi's tenure. A department spokesperson stated that the Justice Department "has terminated the employment of personnel responsible for weaponizing the FACE Act who still remained at the department." The Trump administration has previously alleged, without providing evidence, that the Civil Rights Division under former Attorney General Merrick Garland used the FACE Act to target conservative Christians opposed to abortion. While the Justice Department also pursued charges against abortion rights activists accused of intimidating workers at crisis pregnancy centers, excerpts from the draft report reviewed by CBS News indicate that such cases were minimal compared to those involving conservative anti-abortion activists. Early in his second term, President Trump pardoned many individuals convicted under the FACE Act during the Biden administration. The Justice Department subsequently dismissed several other FACE Act cases and instructed prosecutors to halt future investigations under the Act. However, the department has allowed remaining cases involving abortion rights activists to proceed, with one Florida-based defendant receiving a 120-day prison sentence in March 2025. Many former federal prosecutors who handled FACE Act cases have since departed the Justice Department.