Federal workers file class action lawsuit alleging discrimination in job terminations based on race and gender.

A collective of federal employees alleges that the sweeping layoffs enacted in response to President Trump’s ban on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives disproportionately affected workers who were women and people of color, irrespective of their actual involvement in DEI-related work.

The group has taken legal action against the Trump administration, with the American Civil Liberties Union of D.C. representing them in the lawsuit. The crux of their legal argument revolves around the violation of their First Amendment rights, contending that their dismissals stemmed from perceived pro-DEI leanings. Moreover, they assert that the administration’s DEI executive order overwhelmingly targeted non-white men for termination and review, contravening Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.

Their formal complaint has been lodged with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, a federal body that oversees appeals concerning dismissals or disciplinary measures. In response to the lawsuit, the Trump administration emphasized its commitment to safeguarding civil rights and expanding opportunities for all Americans, citing endeavors to eradicate illegitimate DEI preferences in the federal government.

Scott Michelman, the legal director of ACLU-D.C., interprets the administration’s actions in a starkly contrasting light. Michelman articulates that singling out diligent public servants because of their perceived alignment with a disfavored ideology constitutes a violation of the First Amendment. He asserts that President Trump’s agenda is evidently driven by a desire to penalize employees believed to espouse values contradictory to his ideological stance.

In an interview with theGrio, Sheria Smith, a former civil rights attorney who was among the 1,300 employees terminated in a mass layoff by the Department of Education, highlighted instances of bias evident in the dismissals. Smith recounted how individuals engaged in activities unrelated to DEI, such as loan officers, IT professionals, and civil rights lawyers, were placed on leave under suspicion of DEI involvement. She noted that a significant majority of those affected were women – particularly Black women – underscoring a concerning pattern of discrimination in the layoffs.