Trump-Backed Operation Legend Sending Federal Agents To Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, WI — The U.S. Department of Justice is sending more than 25 federal agents to Milwaukee under Operation Legend, a program touted by President Donald Trump.

During a media conference held Wednesday morning at the Federal Courthouse in Downtown Milwaukee, U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger said Operation Legend is "entirely different" than the deployment of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, and is not targeting protesters in Milwaukee.

"Let me say this again, Operation Legend is not focused on protest activity or civil disturbances," he said of the Milwaukee operation.

President Trump made remarks in support of Operation Legend on July 22, calling for an end to the "rampage of violence"taking place in American cities.

"Today, I’m announcing a surge of federal law enforcement into American communities plagued by violent crime. We’ll work every single day to restore public safety, protect our nation’s children, and bring violent perpetrators to justice. We’ve been doing it, and you’ve been seeing what’s happening all around the country. We’ve just started this process, and, frankly, we have no choice but to get involved," Trump said in his address. "Americans must hold their city leaders accountable. They must insist that community officials fully support, fully back, and fully fund their local police departments. There is simply no substitute for a police department that has the strong backing of city leaders."

Under Operation Legend, dozens of federal agents are being sent to Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque in addition to Milwaukee.

During Wednesday's media conference, Krueger said Operation Legend is a "long-term sustained effort" to help fight violent crime in Milwaukee, and will represent a $12.9 million investment in law enforcement efforts.

According to a media release issued by U.S. Attorney General William Barr, the Department of Justice will send more than 25 federal investigators from the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service to the Milwaukee.

Officials said the investigators will complement the work already underway by existing joint federal, state and local task forces focused on combatting violent crime, including offenses involving firearms and violent drug trafficking organizations, and will be under the leadership of Matthew Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Officials said 10 of those federal investigators are assigned to work in Milwaukee temporarily to provide immediate assistance, and the others will be assigned over the coming year to Milwaukee permanently to provide long-term assistance.

According to the news release, the Bureau of Justice Assistance will provide $1.9 million in funding to support Operation Legend’s violent crime reduction efforts in Milwaukee, and the COPS Office has also made $10.2 million available to the Police Departments of Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and Cudahy to fund the hiring of 29 officers.

Krueger said the hiring of those 29 officers will facilitate those departments' ability to free up veteran officers to assist federal agents.