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Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College Federal Funding

Offit Kurman

New DOJ Memo Addresses Legality of DEI Programs for Federal Funding Recipients

Offit Kurman on

On July 30, 2025, the Department of Justice released a memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi offering guidance to federal agencies and recipients of federal funding regarding practices that the administration views as...more

Hogan Lovells

Attorney General Bondi issues memorandum regarding “unlawful discrimination,” with particular focus on higher education...

Hogan Lovells on

On July 29, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a Memorandum to all Federal Agencies (“Memorandum”) with “guidance for recipients of federal funding regarding unlawful discrimination.” The guidance says it “clarif[ies]”...more

Epstein Becker & Green

“Illegal DEI”: New DOJ Guidance and Its Implications for All Employers

What constitutes “illegal DEI” under the Trump administration? Many employers have been wrestling with this question since the President took office and immediately issued several executive orders (EOs) criticizing diversity,...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Attorney General Bondi Issues Guidance to Recipients of Federal Funding “Regarding Unlawful Discrimination”

While some aspects of the Guidance reflect longstanding interpretations of federal antidiscrimination law, it signals an important shift in enforcement priorities. The Guidance states that the use of race-neutral criteria is...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

DOJ Issues Sweeping Memorandum on Unlawful Discrimination

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On July 29, 2025, the U.S. attorney general released a new memorandum providing guidance on the application of federal antidiscrimination laws for recipients of federal funding—including private and public colleges and...more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

U.S. Attorney General Issues New Guidance on DEI Programs and Policies

On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney General issued a memorandum that “clarifies the application of federal antidiscrimination laws to programs or initiatives that may involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled...more

ArentFox Schiff

An Unprecedented Semester: Higher Education Faces Challenges From Washington

ArentFox Schiff on

Running a college has never been an easy job. But as this academic year draws to a close, higher education is experiencing new challenges with potential long-lasting impacts....more

Carlton Fields

DOJ Forms Civil Rights Fraud Initiative: A New Branch of False Claims Act Enforcement

Carlton Fields on

On May 19, 2025, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the formation of a Civil Rights Fraud Initiative “to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

DOJ’s Plan to Use the False Claims Act to Address Civil Rights Fraud

Husch Blackwell LLP on

According to a memorandum issued on May 19, 2025, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) will use the False Claims Act as a tool to enforce federal civil rights laws. The new policy memo has serious potential implications for...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

The False Claims Act Enters the School Zone

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the launch of a Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which will use the False Claims Act (FCA) as a basis for investigating the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)...more

Morgan Lewis

DOJ Announces Establishment of Civil Rights Fraud Initiative

Morgan Lewis on

The US Department of Justice announced the establishment of the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative on May 19, 2025, which will “utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

DOJ Announces New Initiative Aimed at Entities Receiving Federal Funds; Specifically Targets Higher Ed

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On May 19, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced via a memo titled “Civil Rights Fraud Initiative” (the Memo) an initiative to use the False Claims Act (FCA) against federal contractors and recipients of federal funds...more

WilmerHale

DOJ Announces Civil Rights Fraud Initiative: Department Will Seek To Use The False Claims Act To Enforce Civil Rights Laws Against...

WilmerHale on

On May 19, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a new Civil Rights Fraud Initiative within the Department of Justice to “utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Executive Order on Accreditation and Injunctions of Dear Colleague Letter Impact DEI in Higher Education

A recent executive order attacks DEI accreditation standards as courts block enforcement of the Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter on race. On April 23, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14279 (EO)...more

FordHarrison

Federal Courts Temporarily Block Enforcement of U.S. Department of Education "Dear Colleague Letter" Barring "Illegal DEI" in...

FordHarrison on

On April 24, 2025, Judges Landya McCafferty and Stephanie Gallagher, sitting in the United States District Courts in New Hampshire and Maryland, respectively, issued rulings blocking the U.S. Department of Education (DOE)...more

Roetzel & Andress

U.S. Department of Education Title VI Certification Requirement

Roetzel & Andress on

On April 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) sent a letter to state education agencies (SEAs) requiring them to certify compliance with federal civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

PDE Pushes Back on Federal Certification Mandate

Fox Rothschild LLP on

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has declined to sign a certification form issued by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), which asked all state education agencies to affirm compliance with federal...more

Miller Nash LLP

New Department of Education Certification Requirement Regarding Title VI Compliance: What Districts Need to Know

Miller Nash LLP on

On April 3, 2025, the United States Department of Education (DOE) announced its intention to require state education agencies (SEAs) and school districts to certify that they are in compliance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

U.S. Department of Education’s ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter Prohibiting DEI and FAQs Document Challenged in Federal Court

On March 5, 2025, the National Education Association (NEA) and its New Hampshire affiliate (NEA-NH) sued the U.S. Department of Education, challenging a recently issued “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) that informed schools that...more

Pullman & Comley - School Law

OCR, DEI and Connecticut Schools – Sorting Through a Legal Minefield

If nothing else, the early days of the Trump administration 2.0 have been a whirlwind of legal activity.  Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have of course been at the forefront and on February 14, 2025 the federal...more

Quarles & Brady LLP

Office for Civil Rights Issues “Dear Colleague” Letter Aimed At Curbing Race-Based Decisions and Benefits At Federally Funded...

Quarles & Brady LLP on

On Friday, February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) issued a “Dear Colleague” letter advising federally funded schools that it considers any decisions or benefits based on race,...more

Venable LLP

This is Not a Drill: Trump Administration 'Dear Colleague' Letter Virtually Eliminates Consideration of Race in Higher Education

Venable LLP on

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a new "Dear Colleague" letter to "clarify and reaffirm the nondiscrimination obligations of schools and other entities that receive federal financial assistance...more

Morgan Lewis

US Department of Education Issues Sweeping Guidance on Race-Conscious Practices By Academic Institutions

Morgan Lewis on

The US Department of Education’s (the Department’s) Office for Civil Rights issued a sweeping “Dear Colleague” letter on February 14, 2025 outlining a new zero-tolerance policy for the consideration of race in any regard by...more

Roetzel & Andress

U.S. Department of Education Releases Guidance on DEI Programs in Schools Receiving Federal Funds

Roetzel & Andress on

The legality of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) Programs has come under immense scrutiny beginning with the change in presidential administration. On January 21, 2025, President Trump issued executive order 14173...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

U.S. Department of Education To Step Up Scrutiny of Any Educational Institution’s Programs Deemed “DEI”

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (the “Department”) issued a “Dear Colleague Letter” to “clarify and reaffirm” that schools, colleges and universities receiving “federal financial...more

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