Conservative Group Urges DOJ to Investigate Washington University Over Alleged Illegal DEI Practices
A conservative watchdog group has filed a sweeping complaint urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Washington University in St. Louis over alleged illegal diversity, equity and inclusion practices, raising new tensions over federal civil rights law and campus policy.
The complaint, submitted by America First Legal to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division late last week, argues the prestigious research university’s diversity and equity programs defy federal nondiscrimination law at a time when enforcement priorities are shifting nationwide.
According to Fox News and America First Legal’s press release, the 165-page complaint claims Washington University’s admissions processes, hiring and student services systematically embed race-conscious and sex-based preferences that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The filing cites more than $3.1 billion in federal funding the university has received since 2021, including significant grants from the National Institutes of Health — funding AFL says obligates compliance with civil rights statutes. It also flags supplier diversity contracts and federally funded training programs it views as unlawful.
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AFL’s complaint contends WashU’s Bias Report and Support System chills protected speech and enforces ideological conformity, and stresses that programs targeting underrepresented racial and ethnic groups amount to unlawful preferences.
“This complaint exposes brazen DEI discrimination and calls for DOJ enforcement,” an AFL statement reads.
This matters because federal civil rights law and recent Supreme Court rulings have increasingly limited race-based classification in education, and private legal actions are pushing enforcement into new territory. whether DOJ opens a full investigation — or WashU responds — is the next key question.
Expect developments this month as the Justice Department reviews the complaint and decides whether to pursue enforcement action.
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