Civil Rights Division Assigned New Priorities Under President Trump

In Brief

The recent dramatic realignment of the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division ordered by President Trump has sparked widespread alarm among legal experts and civil rights advocates.

The division, historically tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws in areas such as voting rights, housing and employment, has been repurposed to pursue priorities laid out in Trump’s executive orders, says Mel Wilson, senior policy adviser at NASW.

The Civil Rights Division’s new priorities have raised serious concerns and caused anger due to the threat they pose to marginalized communities’ protection against unfair policies and practices. To many, the work of the Civil Rights Division epitomizes the meaning of democracy and America’s commitment to equality. The tragedy of Trump’s decision to redirect the division’s mission is that it negates its undeniable importance to American history, Wilson said. Learn more at socialworkblog.org/advocacy.