On her first day in office, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a significant memorandum to all Department of Justice employees regarding the Department’s criminal enforcement policies, including a notable directive related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The memorandum provides that “[r]ecourse to criminal charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act . . . shall be limited to instances of alleged conduct similar to more traditional espionage by foreign government actors.” The memorandum further provides that the Department’s FARA Unit should instead “focus on civil enforcement, regulatory initiatives, and public guidance.” While details are few, this communication arguably contrasts with the Department’s approach over the past few years to prioritizing criminal enforcement of FARA.
In this alert, we summarize the Attorney General’s directive and its possible implications.