Tag: civil rights enforcement

Federal Oversight: The recent clash between Harvard University and the federal government has brought national attention to the intersection of academic freedom, civil rights enforcement, and executive authority. The Trump administration, citing concerns about antisemitism and institutional bias, has launched a series of punitive measures against Harvard, including freezing over $2 billion in federal research funding and restricting the university's ability to enroll international students. These moves, unprecedented in scope and speed, signal a dramatic escalation in federal involvement in the governance of higher education.

Introduction On April 23, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14281, titled "Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy," which directs federal agencies to eliminate...

INTRODUCTION Trump Administration's May 2025 Policy Shifts: In May 2025, the Trump administration initiated a series of policy changes that have sparked significant debate across...

In April 2025, the Trump administration initiated a federal investigation into Harvard University and its student-run Harvard Law Review (HLR), alleging that the journal's editorial practices may have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by favoring article submissions from racial minorities over others . This move is part of a broader campaign by the administration to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education institutions across the United States.

On April 23, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled "Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy," effectively eliminating the federal government's use of disparate-impact liability in enforcing civil rights laws. This legal doctrine, established by the Supreme Court in Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971), allows courts to challenge policies that disproportionately harm protected groups, such as racial minorities, women, and the disabled, even without evidence of intentional discrimination. The executive order directs federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of such regulations and calls for repealing parts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, citing alleged conflicts with merit-based practices and constitutional protections.

On April 23, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14121, titled "Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy." The directive reconfigures the federal government’s approach to civil rights enforcement by eliminating the use of disparate-impact liability as a basis for identifying discrimination in federally administered programs. In essence, the order mandates that only intentional discrimination—rather than policies that produce disproportionate harm to protected groups—will be actionable under civil rights statutes moving forward.