Baltimore sues Trump administration over orders shuttering diversity programs

BALTIMORE (CN) — Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott targeted President Donald Trump’s administration Tuesday as he announced Black History Month celebrations, just hours after the city joined a lawsuit to stop the federal crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

“Unfortunately, some have chosen to intentionally misconstrue the goals of DEI initiatives and chosen to attempt to scapegoat diversity for any and every challenge facing our nation,” the mayor said in a news release. “This brazenly political attack only underscores the necessity for proactive measures to protect and promote the value that our diversity brings.”

Scott made clear reference to the flurry of Trump administration edicts targeting progressive programs, and the latest legal counter to those efforts: a suit filed in Maryland federal court late Monday night by Democracy Forward, a Washington-based nonprofit founded in 2017 to counter right-wing efforts to roll back social justice initiatives. Along with the city, plaintiffs include the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors, and Restaurant Opportunities Centers United.

The groups are asking U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson, a Joe Biden appointee, to strike down Executive Order 14151, “Ending Radical Government DEI Programs and Preferencing;” and Executive Order 14173, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” saying both impinge on congressional power.

“Because of the vagueness of President Trump’s two executive orders, plaintiffs are left to wonder whether, and for how long, they can rely on the federal funding that Congress appropriated using its exclusive power of the purse,” the groups say in the complaint.

They claim that the orders do not clearly define broad terms, including what “equity-related” means, or what constitutes “illegal DEI,” leaving institutions at a loss to know what programs are affected. The orders also curtail First Amendment rights by restricting speech based on content and point of view, the plaintiffs say.

Scott said in a statement: “This executive order goes beyond just attacking DEI; it aims to establish the legal framework to attack anyone or any place who dares to celebrate our diversity … . Doing so directly threatens many programs and entities that serve our community on a daily basis for no other reason than political posturing. Baltimore citizens risk losing vital federal funding due to this executive order, putting jobs and livelihoods at stake — and we will fight it with every legal tool available to us, just as we are doing with this lawsuit."

The plaintiffs claim that among other things, the city could lose $250 million in federal funds under the Justice40 Initiative, a Biden-era federal program designed to ensure that at least 40% of the benefits from federal climate, clean energy and housing investments go to communities that have been harmed by disinvestment and pollution. A $500,000 weatherization grant for elderly or low-income families is also at risk, they argue.

The White House communications office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.