Trump-Appointed Civil Rights Chief Harmeet Dhillon Resigns After Combative Tenure

Harmeet Dhillon, the Trump-appointed head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, resigned Thursday after 18 months of aggressively reshaping the division’s priorities—rolling back Biden-era policies on transgender rights, race-based school admissions, and government COVID restrictions while championing religious liberty and women’s sports.

Dhillon’s departure, confirmed by Attorney General Todd Blanche, removes one of the administration’s most visible legal crusaders. Her tenure was defined by high-profile battles against elite universities over antisemitism, lawsuits targeting tech companies and state COVID policies, and strict enforcement of Trump’s order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports.

Fight Over ‘Illegal DEI’

In her resignation statement, Dhillon touted her division’s efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs she deemed unconstitutional, particularly in education. “We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI,” she said, citing a landmark 2026 settlement that forced a high school to abandon race-based admissions quotas.

Under Dhillon, the Civil Rights Division pivoted sharply from Biden-era priorities, dropping cases against pro-life activists while ramping up investigations into higher education. She targeted universities like UC Berkeley over free speech disputes and pressed states to release voter registration records—a move critics called voter suppression masquerading as election integrity.

A Political Lightning Rod

Dhillon’s hardline conservative record drew fierce pushback. LGBTQ+ advocates accused her of weaponizing civil rights enforcement, while progressive groups blasted her division’s focus on dismantling affirmative action and gender-affirming policies.

Yet she remained a favorite of Trump’s base, earning White House praise Thursday for “boldly protecting Americans’ civil liberties.” Earlier this year, rumors swirled that Trump would elevate her to associate attorney general, but the promotion never materialized.

Before joining the DOJ, Dhillon built her reputation through her San Francisco law firm, taking on cases like defending undercover journalist David Daleiden against Planned Parenthood and suing tech giants over alleged censorship. That combative streak defined her Justice Department tenure—one likely to fuel both retirement speculation and political maneuvering as Trump eyes a 2026 run.

Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/harmeet-dhillon-crusader-of-trumps-civil-rights-enforcement-resigns-from-doj