A federal judge has overturned the Trump administration's interpretation of civil rights law regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, ruling that the administration did not follow proper administrative procedures. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher wrote that the Education Department's guidance and certification requirements were unlawful, bringing relief to school leaders and state education officials who feared losing federal funding. The Feb. 14 guidance and certification requirement had been put on hold as three separate lawsuits worked their way through the courts.

With diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives under scrutiny, DEI consultant and author Lily Zheng urges leaders to "talk better" about DEI to help their teams understand that it encompasses cultural belonging and policies such as parental leave and remote work that create more fairness in the workplace. "Don't just say your commitment is strong. Say, 'We know that tamping down on discrimination and supporting our people is key to our business success.' That's DEI, whether you call it that or not," says Zheng in this interview with SmartBrief.

Meta has appointed conservative activist Robby Starbuck as an adviser to address bias in its AI systems as part of a settlement after Starbuck sued Meta for defamation, alleging that Meta AI falsely linked him to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Starbuck has been behind the movement targeting brands and companies such as Tractor Supply Co. and Harley-Davidson to roll back their DEI initiatives.

The ongoing government assault on diversity, equity and inclusion has a larger agenda than just ending workplace fairness -- it's an assault on democracy as everything from voting rights, health care and history, writes Stacey Abrams, the founder of American Pride Rises. "This is our charge: In the face of uniformity, unfairness and exclusion, we must promote DEI as an essential defense of democracy," Abrams writes.

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use racial profiling, such as speaking Spanish or looking Latino, as grounds for detention. Latino organizations warn this could increase insecurity and negatively impact the Latino community. "Numerous US citizens and others lawfully residing in this country have suffered serious intrusions on their liberty. And all have had to endure the prospect of inevitable future intrusions based on broad demographic factors, such as the color of their skin," stated Supreme Court filed documents.

President Donald Trump's narrative that diversity, equity and inclusion policies discriminate against white Americans is not supported by recent data, writes Fred Pincus, a sociologist. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey indicates that 70% of white Americans believe Black people face significant discrimination, while only 45% feel the same about white people. Audit studies also show that job applicants with Black- or Latino-sounding names receive fewer callbacks than those with white-sounding names, despite equivalent qualifications. These patterns demonstrate that employment inequities persist, favoring white Americans.

Nearly 300,000 Black women exited the US workforce this year, a decline linked to weakened DEI efforts, layoffs and structural inequities. Experts warn the losses could cost billions in GDP and erode leadership pipelines, effectively erasing future CEOs before they rise.