Durbin to Join Attorney General Garland in Chicago Today to Announce Gun Violence Strike Force

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced he will be joining Attorney General Merrick Garland on his trip to Chicago today to discuss several initiatives to address gun violence in the city, including the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) implementation of a firearms trafficking strike force:

“When it comes to the gun violence epidemic, we have a choice: give up or stand up. Attorney General Garland and I are committed to assisting the City of Chicago by stemming the flood of illegal firearms into our neighborhoods. Implementing the firearms trafficking strike force is a critical step forward for this federal effort. I look forward to joining AG Garland today to share what this will mean for Chicago and communities across Illinois.”

On June 23, President Biden announced that as part of the Administration’s comprehensive strategy to prevent and reduce gun crime, DOJ would launch five new law enforcement strike forces to combat illicit firearms trafficking into Chicago as well as four other cities.  The strike forces will coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to identify and dismantle firearms trafficking schemes.  Durbin has announced his support for the President’s efforts and for the creation of these strike forces.  Details on the Attorney General’s visit are available here.

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