Andrew J. Block

UpdatedSeptember 3, 2026

ByEpsteinWiki

DOJ Counsel Defending Todd Blanche in Phang v. Blanche

Andrew J. Block’s career moved through Republican congressional politics, the first Trump administration, America First Legal, the chief counsel’s office at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Office of the Associate Attorney General.

The Atlantic has described Block as a close ally of Stephen Miller. A federal court record confirms that Block was serving as CBP chief counsel in February 2026. The Atlantic subsequently reported that he was removed during a Department of Homeland Security leadership change.

Within weeks, Block appeared at the Justice Department as senior counsel to Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr.

On August 12, 2026, Block entered Phang v. Blanche, the lawsuit seeking to force Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Snapshot

Full name: Andrew J. Block

Profession: Attorney

Virginia State Bar number: 91537

Current documented position: Senior Counsel to the Associate Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice

Current documented supervisor: Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr.

Previous confirmed positions: Congressional staff member for Representative Mike Bishop, Department of Homeland Security counsel, America First Legal attorney and senior counsel, and CBP chief counsel

Reported Heritage connection: LegiStorm reports that Block served as a Heritage Foundation legal intern from September through December 2014. EpsteinWiki has not located a primary Heritage record independently confirming the internship.

Project 2025 connection: Block worked at America First Legal while AFL participated in the Project 2025 coalition. He is not named as a Project 2025 author or contributor.

Stephen Miller connection: The Atlantic described Block as a close Miller ally while reporting on his removal from CBP. The public record does not establish whether Miller arranged any of Block’s government appointments.

Epstein connection: Counsel representing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in Phang v. Blanche

Case number: 1:26-cv-01417

Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia

Judge: Emmet G. Sullivan

Personal Epstein connection: None verified

Central concern: Block is helping defend the government in litigation seeking compliance with a federal law requiring the release of Epstein related records.

Why Andrew J. Block Matters

Andrew J. Block entered the public Epstein record on August 12, 2026, when he filed a notice of appearance on behalf of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in Phang v. Blanche.

The federal court docket confirms that Block joined Blanche’s defense after the court had already issued a significant ruling against the government.

Block is not accused of participating in Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. No verified evidence connects him personally to Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s aircraft, Epstein’s properties, or Epstein’s known social network.

His relevance is professional and institutional.

He is a senior Justice Department attorney helping defend the government against a lawsuit intended to enforce the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Phang v. Blanche

Attorney and journalist Katie Phang filed Phang v. Blanche on April 27, 2026.

The lawsuit alleges that the Justice Department failed to comply fully with the Epstein Files Transparency Act by improperly withholding, redacting, or failing to process covered records.

The disputed issues include:

Names redacted from communications involving Jeffrey Epstein
Names of alleged co-conspirators
Underlying FBI interview notes
Foreign language records that were not reviewed
The redaction log required by the Act
Records allegedly involving government officials and politically exposed people

The Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse summary describes the case as a challenge to the Justice Department’s alleged failure to disclose records concerning Epstein and his associates.

The lawsuit seeks compliance with the disclosure law, removal of allegedly unlawful redactions, production of responsive records, publication of the required redaction log, and possible appointment of a special master.

The Court’s Ruling Against the Government

On June 25, 2026, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan granted Phang’s motion for a preliminary injunction.

In the court’s memorandum opinion, Sullivan concluded that Phang was likely to succeed on the relevant Administrative Procedure Act claims.

The opinion states that the attorney general had conceded he was violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The court found that complying with the law would not harm the attorney general. Sullivan rejected the government’s request for a stay and noted that the disclosure deadline had passed more than six months earlier.

Block entered the case on August 12, approximately seven weeks after this ruling.

The docket does not explain why Block was added at that particular stage. His appearance nevertheless places a senior attorney from the Office of the Associate Attorney General directly inside the escalating legal fight over the Epstein records.

Confirming Block’s Identity

The attorney in Phang v. Blanche is Andrew J. Block, Virginia State Bar number 91537.

The bar number provides the strongest identity link across his recent employment.

An America First Legal court filing from 2022 identifies Andrew J. Block as an AFL attorney and lists Virginia State Bar number 91537.

A September 2025 America First Legal filing uses the same name and bar number.

A June 2026 Justice Department filing identifies Andrew J. Block, Virginia State Bar number 91537, as Senior Counsel to the Associate Attorney General.

These filings establish that the America First Legal attorney and current Justice Department attorney are the same person.

Education and Early Career

LegiStorm reports that Block attended Michigan State University’s James Madison College, where he studied political theory and constitutional democracy.

His reported college activities included student government, mock trial, and a study abroad program in Italy.

Block later attended George Mason University School of Law, now known as the Antonin Scalia Law School.

Available biographical material places his law studies during the middle of the 2010s. Sources have used different graduation or class year designations, so EpsteinWiki is not assigning a definitive graduation year without a primary academic record.

Block’s attendance at George Mason does not establish membership in the Federalist Society.

EpsteinWiki found no reliable evidence that Block belonged to the Federalist Society or had a personal relationship with Leonard Leo.

Reported Heritage Foundation Internship

The LegiStorm profile for Andrew J. Block reports that he served as a Heritage Foundation legal intern from September through December 2014.

That entry appears within the same profile documenting Block’s later work for Representative Mike Bishop and Venn Strategies.

The congressional portion of the profile is supported by separate payroll records bearing the name Andrew J. Block.

However, EpsteinWiki has not located a surviving Heritage staff directory, internship announcement, résumé, or other primary Heritage document independently confirming the internship.

The correct conclusion is therefore limited:

LegiStorm reports that Andrew J. Block served as a Heritage Foundation legal intern in 2014. That entry appears in the correct Andrew J. Block profile, but EpsteinWiki has not independently confirmed it through a primary Heritage Foundation record.

Congressional and Government Work

Block worked for Republican Representative Mike Bishop of Michigan.

LegiStorm’s congressional payroll records identify Andrew J. Block as Bishop’s senior legislative assistant and counsel.

The broader employment chronology reports that Block initially served in a legislative and counsel capacity before becoming senior legislative assistant and counsel.

After leaving Congress, Block had a professional connection to Venn Strategies, a Washington government relations firm.

In March 2019, during Donald Trump’s first administration, Block reportedly joined the Department of Homeland Security as counsel.

A publicly released 2019 DHS calendar includes an “Andrew Block, OGC,” referring to the department’s Office of General Counsel. Federal personnel records have also identified an Andrew John Block as a DHS general attorney.

Block’s reported DHS service continued until January 2021.

America First Legal

By January 2022, Block was appearing in court filings for America First Legal.

America First Legal was founded by former Trump administration officials, including Stephen Miller. It became a major legal and political organization challenging Biden administration policies involving immigration, diversity programs, education, federal records, administrative authority, and alleged government weaponization.

Block eventually became a senior counsel at AFL.

His work for the organization is confirmed through court filings bearing his name, AFL affiliation, email address, and Virginia State Bar number.

Block appeared in litigation with AFL attorneys and associates including Gene Hamilton, Reed Rubinstein, Michael Ding, Nicholas Barry, and Christopher Mills.

These records establish professional relationships. They do not establish personal friendships outside the work.

AFL Compensation

America First Legal’s 2024 Form 990 identifies Andrew Block as a lawyer.

The filing data displayed by ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer reports $207,369 in compensation from AFL for 2024.

Additional compensation figures displayed by third party nonprofit databases may include benefits or other reportable categories. The safest figure is the $207,369 reported as compensation from the organization.

The filing demonstrates that Block held a substantial compensated position at AFL. He was not merely an occasional outside attorney.

Block’s Campaign Finance Research at AFL

In litigation involving the DHS Homeland Intelligence Experts Group, Block submitted a declaration describing his review of publicly available Federal Election Commission contribution records concerning members of the advisory group.

This shows that campaign finance research and political network analysis formed part of his professional investigative work at AFL.

It does not establish that Block had personal relationships with the donors, candidates, or officials whose records he examined.

The finding is notable because Block’s own limited campaign contribution record later became relevant to research about his political affiliations.

Congressional Testimony

In March 2025, Block testified before the House Homeland Security Committee as an America First Legal senior counsel.

His published AFL testimony accused the Biden administration of abusing executive authority, wasting federal resources, and creating barriers to immigration enforcement.

Mike Howell, executive director of the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, appeared on the same congressional panel.

A shared hearing does not prove private coordination or a personal relationship. It places Block publicly within the same conservative legal and oversight environment as a senior Heritage official.

America First Legal and Project 2025

Andrew Block is not named in the official Project 2025 contributor list.

A search of the published 920 page policy book produces no reference to “Andrew Block” or “Andrew J. Block.”

There is no public evidence that he personally wrote, edited, or contributed to Project 2025.

The institutional connections are nevertheless documented.

The official Project 2025 Mandate for Leadership lists America First Legal Foundation as a Project 2025 Advisory Board organization.

The book thanks the leadership, supporters, and donors of its advisory organizations, stating that the project would not have been possible without them.

Gene Hamilton, who served as America First Legal’s vice president and general counsel while Block worked there, wrote Project 2025’s chapter on the Department of Justice.

Several America First Legal employees are listed as Project 2025 contributors. The DOJ chapter’s author note also gives special recognition to America First Legal staff for assistance.

Block was employed at AFL during the general period in which Project 2025 was developed. The author note does not identify every staff member who assisted and does not name Block.

The verified conclusion is:

Block worked at an organization that formally participated in the Project 2025 coalition. His senior AFL colleague wrote Project 2025’s Justice Department chapter. There is no public proof that Block personally drafted or contributed to Project 2025.

CBP Chief Counsel

The most important addition to Block’s professional timeline is his service as chief counsel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

A CBP headquarters directory identifies Andrew J. Block as chief counsel.

More importantly, a 2026 federal complaint states that CBP Chief Counsel Andrew J. Block issued a letter on February 26, 2026.

The litigation record independently establishes that Block was acting as CBP chief counsel by that date.

EpsteinWiki has not located Block’s appointment announcement, entry record, or another primary document identifying who selected or recruited him for the position.

The available record therefore establishes the job, but not the appointment mechanism.

Reported Relationship With Stephen Miller

On May 11, 2026, The Atlantic reported that Block was a “close ally of Miller” who had served as CBP chief counsel.

The publication attributed information about Block’s removal to two people briefed on the personnel change. It also reported that Block did not respond to a request for comment.

This is stronger than merely observing that Stephen Miller founded America First Legal and that Block worked there.

It is still an attributed description from unnamed sources, not a publicly documented statement by Block or Miller.

The public record does not establish:

When Block and Miller first met
Whether Miller recruited Block to America First Legal
Whether Miller arranged Block’s CBP appointment
Whether Miller intervened in Block’s reported removal
Whether Miller participated in Block’s move to the Justice Department

The accurate conclusion is:

The Atlantic described Block as a close Stephen Miller ally. The mechanisms behind Block’s federal appointments remain unknown.

Reported Removal From CBP

The Atlantic reported that Block was “shown the door” during a Department of Homeland Security leadership realignment following the replacement of Kristi Noem by Markwayne Mullin.

The report placed Block’s departure within a broader shift away from personnel and tactics associated with the previous DHS leadership structure.

The article did not report that Block was removed for criminal conduct, professional misconduct, or deficient legal performance.

It would therefore be inaccurate to characterize his removal as disciplinary.

The available evidence supports only this conclusion:

The Atlantic reported that Block was removed from his position as CBP chief counsel during a broader DHS personnel and policy realignment.

The CBP headquarters page continued to display Block’s name after the reported removal. Government directories are not always updated immediately. The February 26 court record proves that Block held the job at that time, but the later directory listing does not disprove The Atlantic’s May report.

Transition From CBP to DOJ

A June 19, 2026 Justice Department filing identifies Block as Senior Counsel to Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr.

The filing establishes a direct organizational relationship:

Andrew J. Block → Senior Counsel to Stanley E. Woodward Jr. → Office of the Associate Attorney General

This creates a significant documented sequence:

America First Legal → CBP chief counsel → Justice Department senior counsel

The transition appears to have happened within weeks of Block’s reported removal from CBP.

EpsteinWiki has not located a DOJ appointment announcement identifying when Block entered Woodward’s office, who recruited him, or who approved the appointment.

There is also no public evidence establishing that Woodward knew Block before the DOJ appointment.

The positions and reporting relationship are confirmed. The personnel bridge remains unknown.

Anti Weaponization Fund Litigation

Block represented the Justice Department in litigation involving the proposed $1.776 billion Anti Weaponization Fund.

The proposed fund was challenged by plaintiffs who argued that it could be used to compensate Trump allies and other people claiming they had been improperly targeted by the federal government.

In the June 19 filing, Block and Associate Attorney General Woodward argued that the fund was not moving forward and that sworn declarations from senior administration officials were unnecessary.

They also argued that requiring those declarations raised separation of powers concerns.

This litigation is separate from Phang v. Blanche. The cases and their allegations should not be conflated.

The assignment is nevertheless relevant to Block’s DOJ role. It shows that he was deployed in politically sensitive litigation involving judicial scrutiny of senior administration conduct shortly after entering Woodward’s office.

Updated Career Timeline

2008 through approximately 2012: Michigan State University, James Madison College

Middle 2010s: George Mason University School of Law

2014: Heritage Foundation legal internship reported by LegiStorm but not independently confirmed through a primary Heritage record

2016 through January 2019: Legislative and counsel positions in Representative Mike Bishop’s office

After Congress: Professional connection to Venn Strategies

March 2019 through January 2021: Counsel at the Department of Homeland Security

By January 2022: Attorney at America First Legal

2024: Identified as an AFL lawyer in the organization’s Form 990

March 2025: Publicly identified as AFL senior counsel during congressional testimony

February 26, 2026: Confirmed acting as CBP chief counsel

May 11, 2026: The Atlantic reports that Block, described as a close Stephen Miller ally, was removed from CBP

June 19, 2026: Confirmed as Senior Counsel to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr.

August 12, 2026: Enters Phang v. Blanche on behalf of Todd Blanche

Political Contributions

A Federal Election Commission record matching Block’s name, Virginia location, AFL employer, and occupation as an attorney reports a $43 contribution through WinRed on September 14, 2024.

WinRed is a Republican fundraising conduit. It processes contributions for Republican candidates and committees.

The public record reviewed by EpsteinWiki does not reliably identify the contribution’s ultimate recipient. It would therefore be inaccurate to describe this as a verified direct donation to Donald Trump or another specific candidate.

The relevant records can be reviewed through the FEC individual contribution database.

Other political donations attributed to people named Andrew Block were excluded because their employment histories and locations did not match the DOJ attorney.

Donations to Epstein Related People or Organizations

EpsteinWiki found no verified evidence that Andrew J. Block donated to:

Jeffrey Epstein
Ghislaine Maxwell
Alan Dershowitz
Bill Clinton
Donald Trump directly
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Any organization created by Epstein
Any fund known to have supported Epstein or Maxwell
Any organization established to defend an alleged Epstein co-conspirator

The $43 WinRed record does not establish a donation to an Epstein related individual.

No Epstein related financial connection should be claimed without additional documentary evidence.

Clubs, Hobbies, and Charitable Organizations

No verified current membership in a private club, golf club, political club, religious institution, or professional social organization was identified.

Block’s reported college activities included student government and mock trial.

A social media account using a similar name has posted about golf, Gordon Lightfoot, and Michigan related subjects. EpsteinWiki could not authenticate that the account belongs to the DOJ attorney.

Golf and music should therefore be treated as possible interests, not confirmed hobbies.

Annual reports from Melmark and the University of Michigan Hillel contain donors named Andrew J. Block. Neither report provides enough identifying information to establish that the donor was this Andrew J. Block.

The University of Michigan Hillel record is particularly uncertain because the DOJ attorney reportedly attended Michigan State University, not the University of Michigan.

EpsteinWiki is not attributing those charitable contributions to him.

Red Flags

Red Flag One: Entry After an Adverse Epstein Files Ruling

Block entered Phang v. Blanche after Judge Sullivan granted a preliminary injunction and stated that the attorney general had conceded a violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The docket does not reveal why he was added.

The timing establishes that senior counsel from the Office of the Associate Attorney General became involved after the government suffered a significant adverse ruling.

Red Flag Two: Reported Stephen Miller Alliance

The Atlantic described Block as a close Stephen Miller ally while reporting on his removal as CBP chief counsel.

This moves the Miller connection beyond merely sharing an employer.

The claim must remain attributed because it came from reporting based on people briefed on the personnel change. No primary record establishes Miller’s role in Block’s appointments.

Red Flag Three: The AFL to CBP to DOJ Pipeline

Block moved from a Miller founded legal organization into CBP’s senior legal office and then into the Office of the Associate Attorney General.

This does not prove that one person controlled all three appointments.

It does provide a documented example of personnel moving from an outside conservative advocacy organization into powerful federal positions.

Red Flag Four: Reported CBP Removal Followed by a Rapid DOJ Appointment

The Atlantic reported Block’s removal from CBP in May 2026.

By June 19, Block was signing Justice Department court papers as senior counsel to Stanley Woodward.

The public record does not identify who facilitated this rapid transition.

Red Flag Five: America First Legal and Project 2025

Block worked at America First Legal while AFL participated in the Project 2025 coalition.

His colleague Gene Hamilton wrote Project 2025’s Justice Department chapter, which thanked AFL staff for assistance.

Block is not named as a contributor, and no evidence establishes his personal participation.

Red Flag Six: Politically Sensitive DOJ Assignments

Block has represented the government in litigation involving the Anti Weaponization Fund and the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Both matters involve executive authority, government transparency, and judicial scrutiny of senior administration conduct.

Red Flag Seven: The Effect on Survivor Accountability

The most important concern is not Block’s education, his reported Heritage internship, or a $43 political contribution.

It is the work he is performing now.

Block is helping defend the government in litigation seeking to force compliance with a law requiring the release of Epstein related records.

The case does not seek publication of survivors’ identities. The Act permits survivor protections, and Phang requested appropriate redactions for victim information.

Protecting survivors does not require concealing information about alleged perpetrators, facilitators, co-conspirators, government officials, or politically exposed people.

It does not require leaving foreign language evidence unreviewed or withholding the legally required redaction log.

The contested records could help reveal how Epstein was enabled, whether alleged facilitators were protected, what investigators learned, and why federal institutions repeatedly failed to deliver accountability.

Disclosure cannot guarantee criminal or civil justice. Continued withholding and delay can prevent survivors, journalists, investigators, and the public from obtaining evidence needed for a complete accounting.

Whatever Block’s personal motives, the practical effect of the government position he is helping defend is continued delay.

What Has Not Been Established

EpsteinWiki found no verified evidence that Andrew J. Block:

Knew Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell
Visited an Epstein property
Traveled on an Epstein aircraft
Appears in authenticated Epstein flight records or address books
Communicated with Epstein or Maxwell
Participated in Epstein’s crimes
Donated to an Epstein related person or organization
Personally wrote or contributed to Project 2025
Belonged to the Federalist Society
Had a personal relationship with Leonard Leo
Was appointed to CBP or DOJ by Stephen Miller
Was recruited to DOJ by Stanley Woodward
Was removed from CBP for misconduct

No reliable public criminal or professional disciplinary record involving this Andrew J. Block was identified.

Block should be scrutinized for his documented professional role, not accused of unsupported personal involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

Identity Warning

This article concerns Andrew J. Block, Virginia State Bar number 91537.

He is not:

Economist Michael Block, whose research appeared in Heritage publications
Andrew K. Block Jr., the University of Virginia law professor and former director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
The Andrew Justin Block described in a commercially produced Instant Checkmate report reviewed during research for this article

The Instant Checkmate report concerns a person with a different age, employment history, geographic history, and professional background.

Its addresses, relatives, vehicles, telephone numbers, court records, and other personal information do not belong in this dossier.

EpsteinWiki has excluded that information.

Why This Matters

Andrew J. Block has no verified personal connection to Jeffrey Epstein.

His importance comes from the public power he now exercises.

Block moved from America First Legal into the position of CBP chief counsel. The Atlantic described him as a close Stephen Miller ally and reported that he was removed during a DHS leadership change.

Within weeks, he appeared in the Justice Department as senior counsel to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.

He then entered an Epstein transparency case after a federal judge found that the attorney general had conceded a statutory violation.

Block is entitled to represent the government and make lawful arguments for his client.

The public is equally entitled to examine who is making those arguments, the institutions and relationships behind their careers, and the consequences of their work for survivors.

The question is not whether Andrew Block personally knew Jeffrey Epstein. There is no evidence that he did.

The question is why the Justice Department continues fighting over records that Congress ordered released, and why another senior government lawyer has been added to that effort while survivors continue waiting for a complete accounting.

In the Epstein story, delay has repeatedly served institutions and powerful people better than it has served survivors.

That is why Andrew J. Block belongs in the EpsteinWiki record.

Sources

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Legal Associates