Mandatory Minimums

The National Association of Federal Defenders filed a brief as Amicus Curiae In Support of Petition

In May 2025, the Federal Defenders' Legislative Committee sent a letter to Congress' House Judiciary Committee in opposition to H.R. 3486, the Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025. H.R. 3486 would impose new, unprecedented mandatory minimum sentences on individuals whose criminal conduct includes the mere act of coming to the United States to make a better life for their families.

The Federal Public & Community Defenders submitted to the Sentencing Commission our comments regarding the Commission's January 2025 proposed amendments.

In response to a call for comments, Federal Public and Community Defenders submitted the attached l

Defender witnesses submitted written testimony on additional proposed guideline amendments:  l

The Federal Public & Community Defenders submitted to the Sentencing Commission our comment regarding the Commission's proposed priorities for the 2023-2024 amendment cycle. 

The Federal Public and Community Defenders have submitted our comments on all of the Sentencing Commission's proposed amendments for this amendment cycle. It turns out that we have a lot to say!

The National Association of Federal Defenders filed a brief as Amicus Curiae In Support of Petitioner Davis Dubin in Dubin v. United States, 22-10 (Dec. 29, 2022), relating to the federal crime of aggravated identity theft.

The Federal Public and Community Defenders for the Judicial Districts of the Sixth Circuit filed a brief as Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioner-Appellant Monquel Paulk’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc in United States v. Paulk, 21-2722 (Oct. 12, 2022), regarding the categorical analysis.

Federal Public and Community Defenders, by Federal Defender Sentencing Guidelines Committee Chair Michael Caruso, sent our letter to the new Sentencing Commission proposing priorities for the 2022-2023 amendment cycle.