In response to news that the Department of Justice would be redirecting resources in the Civil Rights Division in order to investigate universities’ efforts to bring diversity to their student bodies, People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker issued the following statement:

“This isn’t the first example of how Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions are attempting to dismantle the Justice Department’s long commitment to civil rights, but it is among the most egregious. Universities should be encouraged to make sure that Americans of every race get a fair chance when it comes to the opportunities that institutions of higher education afford – not be intimidated from doing so. These programs don’t just benefit students of color, they allow all students to participate in academic environments that more accurately reflect our nation’s deep and rich diversity.

“We need the Department of Justice to focus on protecting our civil rights – not attacking them. This decision is a sickening example of the way Trump and Sessions are perverting the mission of the Justice Department in order to push their own extreme agenda.”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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