WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Justice seal (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Getty Images)The Justice Department is seeking data from the governors of four states about "orders which may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing home residents."Officials say Wednesday the Justice Department's civil rights division is evaluating whether to initiate investigations under a federal law that protects the rights of people in state-run nursing homes and other facilities.Prosecutors are trying to determine whether state orders requiring admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes could have led to deaths.