William P. Barr Sworn in as U.S. Attorney General

On February 14, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed William P. Barr as the 85th Attorney General of the United States by a vote of 54-45. Attorney General Barr was sworn in on the same day. He previously led the Department of Justice as the 77th Attorney General during the administration of former President George H.W. Bush from November 26, 1991, to January 20, 1993.

Attorney General Barr takes over leadership of the Department of Justice from Matthew Whitaker, who had been serving in an acting capacity subsequent to the resignation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

As head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Barr will oversee many functions having to do with the U.S. immigration system. These include oversight of the immigration courts and Board of Immigration Appeals, criminal prosecution for certain offenses related to immigration, and defending the positions of the Trump Administration in court.