Radical change at Civil Rights Division: More than 100 attorneys leave after failing to fulfill their responsibilities

Hundreds of lawyers are leaving the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, a report in the New York Times revealed Tuesday.

The aforementioned division had become notorious in recent times for partisan litigation, focusing on Democratic Party priorities rather than attending to its work, according to statements from senior officials connected to the issue.

The Justice Department's new civil rights chief, Harmeet Dhillon, told the media outlet that departing lawyers can resign, as many had put politics ahead of the department's actual function.

Dhillon, appointed this month to lead the division, said her agenda has been revised to focus on issues such as antisemitism and transgender athletes in women's sports.

During a recent interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck, Dhillon welcomed the change and made clear the division's priorities, "Now, more than 100 lawyers decided they'd rather not do what their job requires them to do, and I think that's fine."

"The job here is to enforce federal civil rights laws, not progressive ideology," the directive added.

Sweeping changes in the Civil Rights Division

Last week, the department removed about a dozen career leaders from their positions, pushing some into unrelated roles responsible for responding to public information requests and a complaint adjudication office.

Many have since resigned, leaving several sections without any leadership beyond political appointees, with additional departures expected. The sweeping changes come less than three weeks after the swearing-in of Dhillon, a prosecutor close to the Trump Administration.

A "politicized" Division under Democratic administrations

While the Civil Rights Division was silent on the wave of antisemitism that rocked American campuses and cities in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, it did use its resources to file political lawsuits against Republican states.

Examples include the famous lawsuit directed against Georgia's new election integrity law, which was less stringent than laws in some states governed by Democrats. The 2021 lawsuit was dismissed by the Trump administration.

The department's new leadership alleges that the division had become politicized under previous Democratic administrations.

According to the Justice Department's website, the Civil Rights Division was established in 1957 and enforces laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, national origin and citizenship.