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On Friday, a federal judge in Maryland issued a temporary injunction against former President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within federal agencies and among contractors working with the government.
US District Judge Adam Abelson expressed concerns that Trump’s directives and a related request to the Department of Justice to investigate businesses with DEI practices are likely to breach the First Amendment rights outlined in the US Constitution.
In a passage that garnered significant attention, Abelson remarked, “The White House and attorney general have made clear, through their ongoing implementation of various aspects of the J21 order, that viewpoints and speech considered to be in favor of or supportive of DEI or DEIA are viewpoints the government wishes to punish and, apparently, attempt to extinguish.” This statement underscores the judiciary’s role in safeguarding free expression against perceived governmental overreach.
Abelson highlighted, “The Supreme Court has made clear time and time again, the government cannot rely on the ‘threat of invoking legal sanctions and other means of coercion’ to suppress disfavored speech.” This pronouncement reaffirms established legal principles that protect individuals and organizations from government-sanctioned censorship.
The judge’s ruling prevents Trump and several federal agencies from enacting these orders while a lawsuit brought by the city of Baltimore and three advocacy groups is underway.
Abelson emphasized the long-standing nature of DEI efforts, noting, “As plaintiffs put it, ‘efforts to foster inclusion have been widespread and uncontroversially legal for decades’.” He also pointed to the potential for “irreparable harms,” stressing that a chilling effect on protected speech would occur if the Trump administration’s directives were enforced.
Reuters contributed reporting
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