The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United), and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore filed a federal lawsuit challenging two executive orders issued by the Trump-Vance administration.

• “Ending Radical Government DEI Programs and Preferencing”
• “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”

These orders target DEIA programs, threaten funding for higher education, and put workplaces and cities at risk. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland and brought by Democracy Forward and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, argues that the orders unlawfully restrict speech, exceed presidential authority, and obstruct Congress’ constitutional power over government funding.

The executive orders aim to dismantle DEIA programs nationwide by:

• Chilling Free Speech: Institutions and organizations fear enforcement actions or loss of funding for discussing or promoting diversity initiatives.
• Threatening Education and Research: Colleges and universities risk losing federal support for research and faculty, undermining critical medical and scientific advancements.
• Targeting Workers and Businesses: Restaurant workers and other industries that rely on diverse workforces could face financial and structural setbacks.
• Defunding Community Programs: Cities like Baltimore stand to lose essential federal resources that benefit residents, businesses, and economic growth.

Plaintiffs are taking action to stop these unlawful and unconstitutional orders and protect the rights of educators, workers, and cities to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. These executive orders attempt to erase DEIA efforts under the false premise of restoring “merit-based opportunity,” when in reality, they seek to suppress speech, ideas, and communities that do not align with a political agenda.

On February 21st, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on President Trump’s anti-DEIA executive orders, which are causing ongoing harms: the government has begun to freeze, or even terminate, grants and contracts; the livelihoods of communities are in imminent danger; and individuals and institutions are forced to censor themselves for fear of losing federal funding or being targeted by imminent federal investigations.

On February 27, we asked the court to clarify the government’s obligations, following reports of the administration’s continued violations of the court’s order. Consequently, on March 10, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland reaffirmed that the court’s nationwide preliminary injunction applies to every agency in the executive branch. 

Unfortunately, on March 16, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, granted the government’s request to keep the preliminary injunction on hold. This decision allows the government ignore the law and continue their harmful enforcement of these unlawful policies, and left the ability of universities, workplaces, cities, and communities to continue fostering diversity and inclusion without fear of retaliation or lost funding, unprotected.

This is not the final decision of the case, and the parties will continue defending their positions while the case develops.