With mere weeks until Donald Trump assumes the presidency, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are facing an aggressive assault from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Initiatives once heralded as critical to addressing systemic inequities in workplaces, schools, and government are now at the center of a conservative push to roll back policies seen as redistributing power to historically marginalized groups.
As bills targeting DEI advance through Congress, the future of these programs — which aim to combat systemic inequality and improve opportunities for historically marginalized groups — is at risk.
Republican lawmakers have introduced multiple bills aimed at curtailing or eliminating diversity initiatives in federal agencies and educational institutions. One such measure, the Dismantle DEI Act, or S.4516, for example, introduced in June by then-Sen. JD Vance, seeks to eliminate all DEI positions in federal agencies and bar contractors from requiring DEI statements and training.
Still in committee, this bill not only targets government employees working to make federal hiring practices more inclusive, but also limits contractors’ ability to promote diversity through their policies and training initiatives.
The GOP is also targeting sectors that have increasingly embraced DEI programs. H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, has already passed in the House and is now awaiting review in the Senate. At first glance, the bill appears unrelated to DEI initiatives. However, it grants the government sweeping authority to label organizations as “terrorist-supporting” and revoke their tax-exempt status — without transparency or due process. This creates an alarming risk for organizations advocating for racial justice and social equity.
“This bill can be used as a weapon against organizations that fight for justice — nonprofits and civil rights groups alike,” said Jamarr Brown, a political strategist and executive director for the Color of Change PAC. He argues the introduction of these proposals marks a full-scale, coordinated attack on DEI — one that aims to reverse decades of progress.
“DEI is threatening to them because it creates avenues for power to be redistributed to marginalized groups,” Brown argued. “That terrifies the GOP. The idea of power being shared — that’s what they’re fighting against.”
Perhaps most concerning, President-elect Trump has vowed to penalize universities that incorporate DEI considerations in their admissions processes. Trump’s primary tool for influencing school funding is his authority to enforce civil rights laws, as the U.S. Department of Education can withhold federal funding from schools and colleges that fail to comply with these regulations.
He argues that the U.S. Department of Justice should pursue federal civil rights cases and impose fines on colleges for factoring race and diversity into admissions and redirect the funds as restitution to White Americans, whom he claims are the true victims of racial discrimination.
“Schools that persist in explicit unlawful discrimination under the guise of equity will not only have their endowment taxed, but through budget reconciliation, I will advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment,” Trump declared in a 2023 campaign video.
During a November oversight committee hearing on the Dismantle DEI Act, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, repeatedly referred to DEI policies as “oppression.” His remarks drew sharp criticism from a number of Black lawmakers, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, whose fiery rebuttal went viral.
“There has been no oppression for the White man in this country,” Crockett declared. “You tell me which White men were dragged out of their homes. You tell me which one of them got dragged all the way across an ocean and told that you are going to go and work.”
Crockett’s remarks echo broader concerns about efforts to undermine racial equity initiatives.
“Racist Republicans are not striving to dismantle racism that keeps White people on the higher and living end, and Black and Native peoples on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity,” historian and author Ibram X. Kendi told The Emancipator in November. “Racist Republicans are striving to maintain racism by dismantling any and all efforts to combat it.”
The battle against DEI is not new. Southern states, in particular, have long fought to undermine diversity programs, even as social movements, like the Civil Rights Movement, fought for racial justice and equity, according to Alana Hackshaw, a clinical professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy and an expert in race and equity.
States like Texas, Florida, and Georgia have spearheaded efforts to eliminate DEI from higher education and K-12 curriculums. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other conservative lawmakers led the charge. Last year, DeSantis led a statewide ban on Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies classes being taught in high schools in the state.
“These states have long been at the forefront of rolling back affirmative action and other forms of racial equity,” Hackshaw explained. “What we’re seeing now is the next phase of that strategy.”
Brown notes that these states have become battlegrounds for a broader cultural war that seeks to erase the legacies of slavery, segregation, and institutional racism.
“We’re seeing a strategic push in these states to eliminate programs that speak to the full experience of Black and Brown people in America,” Brown said. “These programs aren’t just about giving marginalized groups a seat at the table — they’re about confronting the historical injustices that continue to shape our society.”
Last month, the University of Michigan joined the fray when it opted to eliminate diversity statements from faculty hiring. The school is the latest public university, joining nearly one dozen other institutions such as the University of Alabama and University of Florida, to announce DEI rollbacks.
Craig Myles — who was an undergraduate student at Michigan in 1993, during the early days of DEI programs at the collegiate level — said that back then, such initiatives felt like a small but significant victory.
However, his optimism has been tested as Republican lawmakers push to dismantle DEI programs.
“It wasn’t just about making sure Black students were represented — it was about preparing everyone to exist in a global world,” he said, adding, “It takes away from the experience for all students, not just Black students, but for White students from rural areas that don’t get to interact with Black people that much. It takes away from their education when we don’t emphasize diversity.”
Brown sees the fight to dismantle DEI as far-reaching, extending beyond Congress into the executive and judicial branches. He points to the recent announcement of Trump’s choice of attorney, Harmeet Dhillon, as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice.
Racist Republicans are not striving to dismantle racism that keeps White people on the higher and living end, and Black and Native peoples on the lower and dying end of nearly every racial disparity. Racist Republicans are striving to maintain racism by dismantling any and all efforts to combat it.
Ibram X. Kendi
Dhillon, a staunch MAGA loyalist, who faced backlash after giving a Sikh prayer at the close of the 2024 Republican National Convention, is widely expected to enforce GOP-led efforts to weaken or eliminate DEI initiatives across the country. Trump praised Dhillon on his Truth Social platform, touting her record of “suing corporations who use woke policies to discriminate against their workers.”
Brown interprets Dhillon’s appointment as a signal of what’s to come.
“One of the clear objectives of this nomination is to use the Department of Justice to dismantle DEI programs by holding states and institutions accountable for pursuing what Republicans view as ‘woke’ policies,” he said. “This is about leveraging the executive branch to maintain Whiteness and consolidate power.”
For advocates fighting to preserve diversity, equity, and inclusion, the stakes are far greater than policy — they are about justice and the vision of an equitable society.
Hackshaw emphasizes that DEI transcends the narrow framing often employed by its detractors. “DEI is about more than just diversity — it’s about fairness,” she said. “It’s not just about creating representation; it’s about ensuring equity. It’s about creating a society where all people, regardless of their identity, have an equal shot at success.”
Hackshaw also points out that while much of the GOP’s rhetoric focuses on race, DEI is a broader framework aimed at addressing disparities across various marginalized communities.
“This isn’t just about race,” she explained. “It’s about women, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and others who have been historically excluded. DEI ensures fairness for everyone.”
Brown echoes this sentiment, describing the GOP’s attacks on DEI as a dangerous regression. “What they’re doing is telling marginalized communities, ‘You don’t belong here.’ That’s the message,” Brown said. “We cannot let that happen. We’ve come too far, and we can’t afford to go backward.”
Despite mounting legislative attacks, DEI advocates are not retreating. Across the country, lawmakers, educators, and grassroots organizers are mobilizing to safeguard the progress made over decades. In Congress, Democratic figures like Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, Crockett, and others are sounding the alarm. They have been vocal in their opposition to anti-DEI bills, warning such measures would undo hard-won advancements in equity.
Grassroots efforts are equally critical. Organizers are leveraging protests, petitions, and public engagement campaigns to keep DEI at the forefront of public discourse.
Brown stresses the importance of community-level action. “This fight isn’t just in Washington,” he said. “It’s everywhere. It’s in every town, every city, every state. We have to stand together, or we risk losing everything we’ve gained.”
Hackshaw said the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“This is a fight for the future of America,” she said. “If we want a country where everyone can thrive, we have to keep pushing for change. The alternative is a return to the status quo — a system where only the few have a chance to succeed.”
For many people of color and marginalized groups, this battle is deeply personal. It’s not just about policies, but about building a world where every individual has an equal opportunity to flourish. Despite setbacks, they remain steadfast in their commitment to this vision.
“The future of a more inclusive and equitable society hangs in the balance,” Hackshaw said, “and we’re not giving up.”
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