Justice Department defends new eviction moratorium in court

The Justice Department defended the Biden administration's new eviction moratorium in a court filing Friday, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's finding that "the deteriorating public health situation necessitated a new invocation of its authority — and responsibility — to protect public health."

The latest moratorium applies to localities with "substantial" or "high" COVID-19 spread, which now encompasses most of the country. Legal challenges were virtually guaranteed after the Supreme Court ruled the Biden administration could not extend a previous moratorium that expired at the end of July.  "This past week, there has been much attention to the impending risk of mass evictions, which would put millions of tenants at risk of losing shelter," Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference Thursday. "Needless to say, the impact on individuals and families would be devastating. And as the CDC has made clear, the impact on public health would likewise be devastating, fueling the spread of Covid-19 infections in the affected communities."