Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Trump administration is prepared to restrict funds to entities that use diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices — a move likely to impact universities and K-12 schools as well as others.
“Entities receiving federal funds, like all other entities subject to federal antidiscrimination laws, must ensure that their programs and activities comply with federal law and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics — no matter the program’s labels, objectives, or intentions,” Bondi wrote in the Tuesday memo.
The attorney general listed race-based scholarships, hiring for “underrepresented groups,” and creating “safe spaces” as among the prohibited practices.
The memo also gives a number of targeted examples of what the administration considers to be an unlawful use of diversity programs, arguing they violate civil rights laws designed to protect from discrimination based on race, sex, religion and other characteristics.
In February, Bondi issued a similar memo saying the Trump administration was prepared to bring civil rights cases against private companies for using of DEI.
The latest push comes as the Trump administration has taken a number of moves to target universities and cites a number of examples largely specific to college settings.
The Justice Department specifically highlights scholarship programs, saying they “must not target ‘underserved geographic areas’ or ‘first-generation students’ if the criteria are chosen to increase participation by specific racial or sex-based groups. Instead, use universally applicable criteria, such as academic merit or financial hardship.”
Beyond measures directly designed to promote diversity, the memo said entities should guard against activities that could be a “proxy” for DEI.
Among the list of things the administration says should be restricted are asking job applicants to “demonstrate ‘cultural competence,’ ‘lived experience,’ or ‘cross-cultural skills’ in ways that effectively evaluate candidates’ racial or ethnic backgrounds rather than objective qualifications.”
Also listed are any questions that ask people to “describe ‘obstacles they have overcome’ or submit a ‘diversity statement.’”
While the memo also advises against programs that elevate women, it said exceptions must be upheld for athletic settings, specifically targeting transgender athletes.
