The Justice Department released a major report today, revealing the Biden administration’s systematic weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to target peaceful pro-life Americans.
The report reveals that, at the same time, Biden officials were largely ignoring violence against pregnancy resource centers and churches.
After reviewing more than 700,000 internal records, the report from the Trump administration’s Weaponization Working Group details how Biden’s DOJ collaborated closely with pro-abortion groups including the National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, and the Feminist Majority Foundation. Prosecutors used dossiers compiled by these groups to pursue pro-life activists while downplaying attacks on pro-life facilities.
The report highlights stark disparities in sentencing.
Biden DOJ prosecutors sought an average of 26.8 months in prison for pro-life defendants compared to just 12.3 months for pro-abortion defendants. Actual sentences averaged approximately 14 months for pro-lifer people who were merely peacefully protesting versus only 3 months for those attacking pro-life centers with firebombs or arson.
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Prosecutors engaged in serious misconduct, including withholding exculpatory evidence, attempting to screen potential jurors based on their religious beliefs — with internal documents referring to Christian pro-life views as “culty” — and authorizing aggressive early-morning FBI raids rather than allowing self-surrender.
A prominent example is the case of Mark Houck, a Catholic father of seven.
Despite his willingness to self-surrender, the Biden DOJ sent roughly 16 armed FBI agents to raid his home in front of his young children. Houck was later acquitted by a jury and recently secured a seven-figure settlement against the federal government for the unconstitutional targeting.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated: “This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice. No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system.”
Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows added: “The behavior unearthed in this report is shameful. Lawyers who should have known better withheld evidence, worked to keep committed religious people off juries, and generally allowed the Department of Justice to be used as the enforcement arm of pro-abortion special interests.”
As part of correcting these injustices, President Trump issued full pardons to 23 pro-life Americans on January 23, 2025 — many of them elderly or non-violent individuals targeted for peacefully defending the unborn.
The Trump DOJ has also dismissed several civil lawsuits against pro-life activists and issued new guidance sharply limiting future FACE Act prosecutions to only the most extraordinary cases.
Shawn Carney, CEO of 40 Days for Life, said regarding the Houck settlement: “This is the biggest example of Biden’s DOJ being held accountable for targeting and persecuting pro-life Americans. We were honored to represent Mark… to secure justice and restore confidence that pro-life Americans can go out and pray without fear of their government.”
This report confirms what many pro-life advocates long suspected: the Biden administration viewed peaceful prayer and advocacy for the unborn as a greater threat than actual violence against pro-life ministries. The Trump administration’s actions bring much-needed accountability and protection for Americans exercising their First Amendment rights in defense of life.
