DOJ allows firing squads for federal executions

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Friday, April 24, 2026, that it is taking actions to strengthen the federal death penalty. These actions include formally readopting the use of firing squads as an approved execution method for federal prisoners. The directive instructs the Federal Bureau of Prisons to adopt this and other alternative methods, such as electrocution and gas asphyxiation. The move is part of the Trump Administration's broader plan to expand the options for executing individuals convicted of the gravest federal crimes.