SEN CHUCK GRASSLEY: Republicans are making America safer by restoring law and order
Senator Chuck Grassley writes an opinion piece crediting Republican control of Congress and the confirmation of Trump-nominated judges and officials for a sharp fall in US violent crime, arguing this reverses what he calls soft-on-crime Democratic policies. He frames the drop as evidence that Republican-led legislation, border and law enforcement funding, and faster judicial confirmations have made America safer, and highlights his role as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman in advancing this agenda.
Grassley cites a roughly 20% decline in murder and robbery from 2024 to 2025, and points to the Council on Criminal Justice's midyear report suggesting 2026 could match or exceed that drop. He lists legislative achievements including the HALT Fentanyl Act and Secure America Act, the confirmation of Attorney General Todd Blanche, and judicial nominees processed at the fastest pace since the Reagan era. He also promotes a pending bipartisan crime package targeting online child exploitation, organised retail crime, xylazine and prison contraband, which he wants attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.
- Grassley credits GOP Congress and judicial confirmations for falling crime
- Cites ~20% drop in murder and robbery, 2024 to 2025
- Pushes new crime package via defence authorisation bill
New here? Start with this
The Senate is one of the two chambers of the US Congress, and its Judiciary Committee handles criminal justice legislation and considers nominees for federal judges and senior law enforcement posts. Chuck Grassley, a Republican senator from Iowa, chairs that committee and is a prominent voice in debates over crime and public safety.
US crime policy is divided between federal, state and local authorities, so Congress can fund national agencies and pass federal laws but does not control every police force or prosecution. Crime figures can also vary by offence, place and period, and changes may have several causes, making it difficult to attribute a national trend to one law or political party.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A sharp fall in violent crime is a meaningful public benefit, and Grassley’s case is that stronger enforcement, border security, anti-fentanyl measures and timely appointments can help deter crime and improve the justice system’s capacity. Supporters may argue that Congress should build on the reported decline with targeted measures against drug trafficking, child exploitation and organised crime, while recognising that the figures alone do not prove which policies caused it.
The case against
Critics may argue that crime trends have many causes and that a decline spanning 2024 to 2025 cannot by itself establish that Republican policies or appointments produced it. They may also question whether broad claims about Democratic policies being soft on crime are fair, and warn that enforcement and sentencing measures can impose costs on civil liberties and communities unless they are carefully evidenced, targeted and accountable.