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A federal judge in Maryland on Friday temporarily blocked key portions of #Trump’s executive orders targeting #diversity, #equity & #inclusion (#DEI) initiatives in the federal #government & #corporate America.

US District Judge Adam B. Abelson granted a preliminary #injunction, blocking portions of #Trump’s orders to cancel federal #contracts concerning DEI & make government contractors certify that they do not engage in DEI practices that violate anti-#discrimination laws.

The order does not block the #DOJ & certain agency heads from drawing up lists of companies & universities to investigate, but blocks such #enforcement pursuant to the order.
#Trump issued 2 EOs meant to eviscerate #DEI in the federal govt & neutralize it in the private sector & higher #education. The orders have already led to widespread purges of federal workers, while #corporations & universities grapple w/how to interpret the orders that target “equity-related” govt contracts & “illegal DEI”

Those suing to block the orders argue that such terms are poorly defined & violate the constitutional right to #DueProcess. They also allege that #Trump exceeded his authority by ordering agencies to terminate all “#equity-related” government #grants & #contracts because they had been funded by #Congress.

Moreover, plaintiffs take aim at a provision in which govt contractors & grantees must certify that they’re not engaging in #DEI programs that violate anti-#discrimination laws. The lawsuit contends that the provision, which threatens penalties under the False Claims Act, suppresses their constitutionally protected #FreeSpeech rights.

…On top of seeking the elimination of #DEI & “#environmental #justice” teams throughout the federal government, the #Trump EOs also directed agency heads to draw up lists of publicly traded #companies, #universities & #nonprofits to potentially *investigate* over certain DEI practices. The orders also conditioned government contracts & grants on companies & organizations certifying that they don’t engage in DEI practices that may violate non-#discrimination laws.

In response, companies such as #Google & #Deloitte have ended certain #diversity programs, such as #hiring goals based on demographics. Others in the #corporate space continue to reassess their programs as #Trump has begun to threaten investigations.

On Feb 3, a coalition of orgs—the American Assn of #University Professors, the Natl Assn of Diversity Officers in Higher #Education, #Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, & the mayor & city council of #Baltimore —sued to block Trump’s orders.

They contend that #Trump’s EOs have already cause harm. E.G., the Natl Assn of #Diversity Officers in Higher #Education says the vagueness of the EOs have left members w/ “untenable” choices: certifying that they won’t engage in prohibited #DEI at the risk of getting slapped w/penalties, or censoring themselves to avoid govt scrutiny.
The EOs, the group alleged in a recent court filing, are “breeding fear & already forcing irreversible harm by chilling core #PoliticalSpeech & academic #freedom.”