- DOJ forms 8-member JUST DOGE team to identify $200M+ in savings
- Musk advisors gain unprecedented access to federal law enforcement budgets
- 73% of federal agencies using DOGE model report workforce reductions
The Department of Justice faces its most significant restructuring in decades as Attorney General Pam Bondi implements a controversial partnership with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Newly obtained documents reveal the JUST DOGE initiative targets 12% budget reductions across all divisions, potentially affecting everything from cybersecurity programs to organized crime task forces.
Industry analysts note this move follows Musk's successful elimination of 14,000 positions at the Department of Energy through similar efficiency audits. However, legal experts warn the DOJ's unique constitutional role creates unprecedented risks. When you apply corporate cost-cutting to federal law enforcement,says Georgetown University's Claire Whitman, you're not just trimming fat - you're potentially dismantling essential public safety infrastructure.
A regional case study from Texas illustrates potential impacts. After DOGE consultants reviewed Austin's regional FBI office in 2024, field agent staffing decreased 18% despite a 23% increase in cybercrime reports. The JUST DOGE team's financial management lead, Christopher Alvarez, previously implemented similar workforce optimizations at three Cabinet-level agencies.
Internal resistance appears strongest in the Criminal Division, where sources report staff preparing alternative savings proposals to protect high-profile drug trafficking prosecutions. This development mirrors tensions at the EPA in 2023, where career employees successfully blocked 42% of proposed DOGE cuts through detailed counterarguments about enforcement capacity.
With Musk personally advising Bondi since February's Epstein files controversy, watchdog groups demand transparency about DOGE's growing influence. Federal ethics filings reveal at least six DOGE consultants hold stock in private prison operators and surveillance tech firms that could benefit from reduced government law enforcement capabilities.
