今日吃瓜

Following recent executive orders issued by US President Donald Trump over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, a civil rights group is launching legal action.

The suit was filed in response to the orders on Wednesday.

On top of the DEI orders it includes recent orders involving transgender people issued by President Trump.

Legal action against Trump Administration

The legal action against the Trump Administration has been launched by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and Lambda Legal.

They are acting on behalf of several groups including the National Urban League, the National Fair Housing Alliance, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago in a lawsuit titled “National Urban League v. Trump.”

The basis of their action surrounds the implications of Trumps executive orders on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Under the order it is alleged the organisation is being forced to adopt the administrations views on DEI which they claim is an infringement on their free speech and due process.

The case filing stated “The terms of the Executive Orders are extraordinarily vague and could prohibit Plaintiffs from engaging in any targeted effort to help a specific group of people facing unfair disadvantages.”

鈥淲ithout any discernible standards or criteria of what is and what is not 鈥榙angerous, demeaning,鈥� 鈥榠mmoral,鈥� and 鈥榠llegal鈥� DEIA, as understood by this Administration, the future of Plaintiffs鈥� fiscal viability and programming are subject to the unfettered discretion of an Administration that has made clear its predisposition against any speech or action that advances equal opportunity for historically marginalized groups, including people of color, women, LGBTQ people, and/or people with disabilities.鈥�

Part of the three executive orders filed by the president involved asking agencies to terminate employees that were working under DEI policies.

Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of LDF said in a press release.

鈥淏eyond spreading inaccurate, dehumanizing, and divisive rhetoric, President Trump鈥檚 Executive Orders seek to tie the hands of organizations, like our clients, providing critical services to people who need them most.”

鈥淭he three orders we are challenging today perpetuate false and longstanding stereotypes that Black people and other underrepresented groups lack skills, talent, and merit鈥攚illfully ignoring the discriminatory barriers that prevent a true meritocracy from flourishing” she continued.

A similar lawsuit was also filed on February 3 by The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors, the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore in relation to the DEI executive orders.