The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in America, established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 — the same legislation that created the federal court system. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the Marshals operate in all 94 federal judicial districts, serving as the enforcement arm of the federal courts, managing fugitive apprehension, and protecting the federal judiciary. With roughly 5,500 deputy marshals and 3,500 support staff, the USMS apprehends more federal fugitives than all other agencies combined.
What Is the History of the U.S. Marshals Service?
President George Washington appointed the first 13 U.S. Marshals on September 26, 1789, giving each one authority within a federal judicial district. In the 19th century, marshals were the primary symbol of federal power on the frontier — figures like Wyatt Earp and Bass Reeves (one of the first Black deputy marshals west of the Mississippi) became legendary. Marshals enforced fugitive slave laws before the Civil War, then helped Reconstruct the South afterward. Congress formally reorganized the service under the Department of Justice in 1870. During Prohibition (1920–1933), marshals seized illegal assets alongside Treasury agents. The modern USMS was formally established as a bureau in 1969 under President Richard Nixon, gaining a clearer mandate and expanded resources.
What Are the Main Duties of the U.S. Marshals Today?
The USMS carries five core responsibilities. First, judicial security: marshals protect more than 2,700 federal judges, prosecutors, and court staff, escorting over 900 witnesses annually through the Federal Witness Security Program (WITSEC), founded in 1971. Second, fugitive apprehension: the USMS-led Regional Fugitive Task Forces captured over 85,000 fugitives in fiscal year 2022 alone. Third, prisoner transport: the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS), nicknamed 'Con Air,' moves approximately 270,000 prisoners per year. Fourth, asset forfeiture: marshals manage and sell billions in seized assets from criminal enterprises. Fifth, court operations: marshals maintain order in federal courtrooms and serve federal process documents nationwide.
| Function | Scale / Key Stat |
|---|---|
| Fugitive apprehensions (FY 2022) | 85,000+ |
| Federal judicial districts served | 94 |
| WITSEC protected witnesses (since 1971) | 19,000+ witnesses, 45,000+ family members |
| JPATS prisoner movements per year | ~270,000 |
| Sworn deputy marshals | ~5,500 |
| Agency founded | 1789 |
Why Is the Witness Security Program (WITSEC) So Significant?
WITSEC, created under the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 and operational by 1971, revolutionized the federal government's ability to prosecute organized crime. The program provides relocated identities, housing, medical care, and financial support to witnesses who testify against dangerous criminal organizations. Since inception, not a single witness who followed program guidelines has been killed. Its early cases dismantled major Mafia families: informant Joseph Valachi's 1963 testimony (protected by marshals) was the first public acknowledgment of La Cosa Nostra. Henry Hill, whose story inspired the 1990 film *Goodfellas*, was among its most famous participants.
