By Steve Neavling
Justice Department leaders are considering a plan to merge the DEA and ATF into a single agency, according to an internal memo reviewed by The Associated Press.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche circulated the proposal as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at cutting costs and consolidating federal operations. The memo says combining the DEA and ATF could improve efficiency and streamline enforcement of gun and drug laws, though it includes no specifics about how the agencies would be merged or whether jobs would be eliminated.
The two agencies frequently collaborate but operate under separate leadership with distinct missions. The ATF investigates gun trafficking, arson, and bombings, while the DEA targets drug networks and the flow of illegal narcotics like fentanyl.
The plan comes as ATF’s future remains uncertain. FBI Director Kash Patel was recently named acting head of the ATF, an unusual dual role that raised new questions about the agency’s independence. The ATF has long been a target of conservative criticism over its role in gun regulation.
Gun control advocates warned that a merger could undercut enforcement efforts.
“The ATF’s mission is to stop violent gun crime and keep the public safe,” said Emma Brown, executive director of Giffords. “Cutting agents by merging the two agencies would reduce resources, weakening efforts to stop gun traffickers, straw purchasers, and gun dealers who are breaking the law.”
The draft proposal also calls for eliminating some Justice Department field offices focused on antitrust and environmental issues, and reassigning most public corruption and tax attorneys to U.S. attorneys’ offices. Only a small group of supervisory lawyers would remain in Washington.
The plan is not yet final. Department heads have until April 2 to submit feedback. The Justice Department declined to comment.
