Brett Shumate, a top political appointee in the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Division, is stepping down after a two-year stint crisscrossing the country in defense of the Trump administration’s policies.

As a deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Division, Shumate emerged as among the most visible Justice Department trial attorneys as he stepped into challenges to controversial Trump administration moves, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Shumate had been a partner at Wiley Rein before joining the Justice Department, where he has served under Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt.