Seven months into President Donald Trump’s administration, police groups are reveling in what they see as newfound support from the federal government. The administration, which touts a “law and order” agenda, has revived a controversial program that lets local police seize cash and property with federal help and pulled back on federal scrutiny of local law enforcement.

Sessions, who has overseen most of the administration’s law enforcement initiatives, views federal support of local police as key to driving down recent spikes in violence in some cities, a top priority of the Justice Department. But critics say Trump’s recent moves — including his pardoning of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was found guilty of contempt of court for disobeying a federal order to stop traffic patrols that targeted immigrants — display a troubling lack of skepticism about police power.