Assistant Lawyer Normal for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon is launching a civil rights investigation into the College of Virginia’s continuation of racist Variety, Fairness, and Inclusion (DEI) practices.
The transfer comes following calls by the authorized marketing campaign group America First Authorized (AFL) exposing how the college is refusing to adjust to rulings from the administration that DEI is unconstitutional and all associated applications must be eradicated.
Quite than take away the applications, the college merely “rebranded” them to various job titles. However no person was fooled.
AFL wrote in a press release final week:
AFL’s letter, together with over 48 displays, helps DOJ’s April 28, 2025, letter inserting UVA on discover for failing to adjust to federal civil rights legal guidelines, controlling U.S. Supreme Courtroom precedent, and up to date Government Orders issued by President Donald Trump. DOJ demanded that UVA certify, with “precision and particularity,” that each division, college, and program had absolutely complied with a March 7 decision adopted by UVA’s Board of Guests. That decision required UVA to dismantle all DEI-related insurance policies, applications, and preferences that discriminate primarily based on race, intercourse, ethnicity, nationwide origin, or different protected traits.
DOJ additionally directed UVA to offer an in depth accounting of each division, position, desire system, and title that had been eradicated; to reveal all people who beforehand held DEI-related positions and whether or not they stay employed in any capability; and to provide information demonstrating the total dismantling of DEI throughout the establishment. UVA was required to reply by Could 2, 2025.
On April 29, the College adopted a brand new decision titled “Advancing Free Inquiry and Viewpoint Variety at UVA,” claiming it had “made progress” in dismantling DEI whereas asserting that “extra work stays to be accomplished” to advance “open inquiry” and to domesticate “citizen leaders.”
Quite than certifying compliance with DOJ’s directives, UVA introduced the creation of a working group — to not deliver the College into compliance with federal legislation — however to “promote open inquiry, constructive dialog throughout variations, and growth of a civic mindset.” The decision didn’t determine which elements of its $1 billion DEI initiative had been rescinded and supplied no proof that any discriminatory applications had been dismantled.
/1UVA’s Board of Guests voted to dismantle its DEI infrastructure.
As an alternative, UVA simply rebranded.
When it didn’t comply, DOJ demanded proof.
So AFL investigated — and located the reality:
Similar individuals.
Similar duties.
Similar agenda.
New titles.We’ve acquired the receipts. pic.twitter.com/TCSjbM75o9
— America First Authorized (@America1stLegal) May 29, 2025
Following the calls for from AFL, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to The Federalist that they had opened an investigation into the matter:
The Justice Division confirmed its investigation into the college to America First Authorized (AFL), The Federalist discovered, after the group despatched a 98-page letter to Assistant Lawyer Normal for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, a UVA alumna, on Friday detailing how UVA is trying to disguise its DEI infrastructure in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
The college’s Board of Guests voted to dismantle DEI earlier this 12 months, however really executing that directive is left to the very individuals who injected the ideology into the college within the first place, as The Federalist reported.
“UVA has not dismantled its DEI framework — it has merely rebranded it to evade authorized scrutiny. What the legislation prohibits, UVA merely renamed,” AFL counsel Megan Redshaw informed The Federalist. “We’re grateful the DOJ has taken our findings severely and is taking motion to carry UVA accountable. No establishment that receives taxpayer funds is above the legislation.”
After the UVA board’s vote, the Division of Justice despatched an April 28 letter to the college’s president, rector, and authorized counsel requiring that the college show it was dismantling the DEI regime that they had constructed so as to be in compliance with civil rights legislation.
Since taking workplace in January, the Trump administration has aggressively moved to dismantle DEI initiatives throughout the federal authorities, training, and authorities contractors.
This has additionally government orders that remove DEI places of work, ban race- and sex-based preferences, and mandate strict adherence to merit-based hiring and program eligibility.
WATCH: President Trump Says He Ended “Bullish*t” DEI – “There Are Only Two Genders: MALE AND FEMALE”
