President Donald Trump’s initial executive orders and actions demonstrate a profound hostility to civil rights and many of the programs and policies that protect the rights of millions of Americans everyday.
Within his first few days in office, President Trump issued several executive orders to end diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs that protect federal employees and contractors from discrimination and ensure that every qualified applicant has an equal opportunity to be considered for a job. These executive orders even attempt to prevent companies from having diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs or policies, despite the fact that these programs have been shown in study after study to benefit both employees and the bottom line.
On Day One, he also rescinded dozens of executive orders that protect and advance civil rights across all aspects of our lives. This includes taking the country back on criminal justice reform by advancing the federal death penalty and eliminating an executive order on policing that was created with input from law enforcement and communities to advance common-sense reforms like banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants. Further, the recission of an executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) sets our country back from progress to ensure that the federal government uses AI in a safe and non-discriminatory way. And, this Administration has made it harder for people to register to vote by eliminating an executive order on voting that, among other things, encouraged federal agencies to facilitate access to voter registration.
There have been reports of some people tuning out the news. But everyone who cares about equality and justice needs to pay close attention and speak out. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will vigorously oppose any efforts to undermine civil rights and we remain steadfast in our commitment to advance justice and equality for people of color in America.
Our Response In The Press
Trump Administration Escalates D.E.I. Crackdown in Latest Threat to Federal Worker
New York Times | January 22, 2025
The Trump administration has escalated efforts to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) initiatives in federal hiring, raising concerns among civil rights advocates.
Dariely Rodriguez, the acting co-chief counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said that the orders betrayed a fundamental misunderstanding of what D.E.I. initiatives were about, and that the federal government still had to comply with civil rights laws. “D.E.I. is not about preferential treatment,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “It’s about eliminating barriers.”
Damon Hewitt Joins Laura Coates Live on CNN (Watch full video):
Economic Justice Project Director Katy Youker Joins CNN to Discuss DEI (Watch full video):
