Federal Executions, Resumed Under Trump, Halted by US Attorney General.br The BBC reports that after a 17-year hiatus, br federal executions resumed in 2020 br under the Trump administration.br The BBC reports that after a 17-year hiatus, br federal executions resumed in 2020 br under the Trump administration.br During the former president's final months in office, 13 federal executions were carried out.br Attorney General Merrick Garland hasbr ordered a pause on federal executions br and a review of death penalty rules.br The Department of Justice must br ensure that everyone in the federal br criminal justice system is not only br afforded the rights guaranteed by br the constitution and laws of br the United States, but is also br treated fairly and humanely, Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General, via BBC.br According to the Death Penalty Information Center, br there are currently about 50 people br facing federal death sentences. .br Most U.S. executions are administered by individual states, where there are currently 2,500 prisoners on death row.br Since 1976, Texas has administered br 570 executions, leading the country. .br In March 2021, Virginia banned capital punishment, becoming the first southern state to end the practice.