New Filings Challenge Trump-Vance Administration’s Pattern of Discrimination – Disproportionately Removing Black Members from Independent Agency Boards
Washington, D.C. — Alvin Brown and Robert Primus – two Black, unlawfully fired, Senate-confirmed independent agency board members – took legal action today to amend their respective pending lawsuits to add race discrimination claims in challenging their removals by the Trump-Vance administration.
These filings come as evidence shows that the Trump-Vance administration has engaged in a broader pattern of disproportionately removing Black leaders from independent multimember agencies. Public reporting and removals across the federal government demonstrate a clear trend: Black commissioners and board members have been removed by the Trump-Vance administration at significantly higher rates, and many boards that were racially diverse have rapidly shifted toward overwhelmingly White membership.
Both Mr. Brown and Mr. Primus served the nation with distinction and there has been no performance-based suggestion about the reason for their dismissals.
Mr. Brown’s filing in Brown v. Trump adds a legal claim alleging that his removal from the National Transportation Safety Board was motivated, at least in part, by race. More information about his case can be found here.
“When you look at who has been removed without cause, and who has been left in place, the pattern is impossible to ignore: Black commissioners across the federal government have been summarily fired,” said Alvin Brown, former Vice Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. “My abrupt removal was unlawful, and it was discriminatory. I’m taking this step to ensure that what happened to me does not happen in the shadows.”
Mr. Primus filed an amended complaint in Primus v. Trump, adding similar allegations to Mr. Brown after being removed from the Surface Transportation Board without cause and in a manner consistent with the administration’s broader pattern of targeting Black officials for removal. More information about his case can be found here.
“I was removed abruptly, without cause, and without any lawful justification. It’s clear that my removal fits a larger pattern within this administration of targeting Black officials,” said Robert Primus, former Chairman and Member of the Surface Transportation Board. “These legal actions ensure that the full truth is before the court and that federal agencies remain protected from racial and political interference.”
“The court documents we have filed today reveal a disturbing reality: the Trump-Vance administration has engaged in aggressive efforts to remove Black leaders,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “Racial discrimination is wrong and has no place in independent agencies that exist to serve people of all races. Democracy Forward is honored to represent Mr. Brown and Mr. Primus as they seek accountability and defend equal protection.”
Democracy Forward and Justice Legal Strategies represent Mr. Brown and Mr. Primus in their respective cases. The Democracy Forward legal team working on these cases includes Cynthia Liao, Ross Snyder, Elena Goldstein, and Catherine Carroll.