WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Indian American Rep. Ro Khanna says the Justice Department has broken federal law by failing to release key records tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case. His statement came after survivor Haley Robson asked a federal court to step in and force compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The law was passed late last year and set a clear deadline. The Justice Department had 30 days to release unclassified Epstein records, with redactions to protect survivors. That deadline expired on Dec. 19, 2025. Khanna says the department missed it.

“This is a betrayal of the survivors and a flagrant violation of the law,” Khanna said in a statement.

Robson filed a letter with U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman in New York. She also sent a copy to Judge Paul Engelmayer. In the letter, she urged the court to require the Justice Department to follow the statute and release the remaining files. Robson said the department has released documents, but most were already public. She said the most important records remain hidden.

“As survivors, this failure is not merely procedural—it is deeply personal,” Robson wrote. She said continued secrecy mirrors the same system failures that allowed abuse to continue for years.

Robson asked the court to ensure full compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She wants complete disclosures and fair redactions. She warned against over-redaction or improper withholding of records.

Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act after years of public pressure. Lawmakers and survivors demanded answers about how Epstein and his network avoided accountability for so long.

The law requires the Justice Department to publish unclassified federal records within 30 days. It also requires officials to protect survivor identities. Khanna sponsored the measure and pushed it through Congress with bipartisan support. Khanna credited survivors for the law’s passage. He said their courage forced lawmakers to act.

“The passage of my law was only possible because of Haley Robson and the survivors who shared their stories,” he said.

Khanna said the department has not released crucial materials. He listed FBI 302 victim interview statements, a draft indictment, and a prosecution memorandum from the 2007 Florida investigation. That investigation ended with a plea deal that drew widespread outrage. He also said officials still withhold hundreds of thousands of emails and digital files seized from Epstein’s computers. Khanna argued that these records could reveal how Epstein operated and who helped him.

“Refusing to release these files only shields powerful individuals,” he said. He added that secrecy damages public trust in government institutions.

The Justice Department has pushed back in court filings. Officials say they continue to review and redact a large volume of material. They argue that careful redactions protect victims from further harm.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the issue after Judge Engelmayer denied a request to appoint a special master. Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie had sought outside oversight of the document release. Engelmayer rejected that request but left open the broader dispute over compliance with the law.

Robson said survivors want more than symbolic action. She said they want accountability, transparency, and equal application of the law. She pointed to emails, investigative files, and victim interviews from the 2018 and 2019 probes. She also highlighted the draft indictment and prosecution memo from Florida. She said those records could explain why Epstein received a lenient deal.

“We were promised transparency. We were promised action,” Robson wrote. “We are still waiting.”

The court has not yet ruled on Robson’s request. If the judge intervenes, the Justice Department could face new pressure to release the remaining Epstein files. For now, Khanna says the issue goes beyond one case. He said it tests whether the government will follow the law it passed.

“This law is clear,” he said. “The deadline passed. The survivors deserve the truth.”