Trump DOJ Elevating Criminal Prosecution of Tariff Evasion

K&L Gates – As part of the Trump administration’s broad repositioning of US international trade policy toward higher tariffs and enhanced customs enforcement, on 12 May 2025, the head of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) instructed all federal prosecutors to “focus resources on threats to the US economy, American competitiveness, and our national security” and pursue “trade and customs fraudsters, including those who commit tariff evasion.” To carry out this priority, the DOJ appears to be turning to the Fraud Section, which takes the lead on investigating and prosecuting complex economic and white-collar crimes for the United States.