Federal health workers terrified after ‘DEI' website publishes list of ‘targets'

NBC News

05-02-2025

Federal health workers are expressing fear and alarm after a website called 'DEI Watch List' published the photos, names and public information of a number of workers across health agencies, describing them as 'targets.'
It's unclear when the website, which lists mostly Black employees who work in agencies primarily within the Department of Health and Human Services, first appeared.
'Offenses' for the workers listed on the website include working on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, donating to Democrats and using pronouns in their bios.
The website, a government worker said, is being circulated among multiple private group chats of federal health workers across agencies, as well as through social media links.
The site also reached Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, who learned about it Tuesday evening when a federal health worker sent it to him.
'This is a scare tactic to try to intimidate people who are trying to do their work and do it admirably,' Benjamin said. 'It's clear racism.'
A government worker said they found out theirs was among the names on the website Tuesday afternoon after a former co-worker sent them the link on social media.
'It's unnerving,' said the person, who requested anonymity because of safety concerns. 'My name and my picture is there, and in 2025, it's very simple to Google and look up someone's home address and all kinds of things that potentially put me at risk.'
'I don't know what the intention of the list is for,' the person said. 'It's just kind of a scary place to be.'
The site lists workers' salaries along with what it describes as 'DEI offenses,' including political donations, screenshots of social media posts, snippets from websites describing their work, or being a part of a DEI initiative that has been scrubbed from a federal website.
Benjamin suggested the acts of online harassment are criminal. 'Law enforcement should look into them.'
A person who isn't on the list but works at a federal health agency called the website 'psychological warfare.' The link, this person said, is being circulated in their private group chat of federal health workers, causing some to 'freak out.'
It's hard to gauge, the worker said, whether it's a legitimate threat. 'I don't know anything about the organization doing this or their parent association. People are just paranoid right now.'
A note at the bottom of the website says, 'A project of the American Accountability Foundation.' That group is a conservative watchdog group.
It's not the first time the group has created a list of 'DEI targets.' In December, it sent Pete Hegseth, then the nominee for defense secretary, a list of names of people in the military whom it deemed too focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, the New York Post reported at the time.
Neither the American Accountability Foundation nor HHS immediately responded to requests for comment.
The website comes after a bruising two weeks for public health workers. Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they have received 'threatening' memos from the Department of Health and Human Services directing them to terminate any activities, jobs and research with any connection to diversity, equity and inclusion — and turn in co-workers who don't adhere to the orders. HHS oversees federal health agencies, including the CDC and the National Institutes of Health.
'The tone is aggressive. It's threatening consequences if we are not obedient. It's asking us to report co-workers who aren't complying,' said a CDC physician who wasn't authorized to speak to reporters. 'There's a lot of fear and panic.'
NBC News reviewed one of the memos, which directed employees to 'review all agency position descriptions and send a notification to all employees whose position description involves inculcating or promoting gender ideology that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately.'
The result, staffers said, is paranoia.
'I know of people who have been put on administrative leave for perceived infractions related to these ambiguous memos. People are thinking if I put one foot wrong, I'm just going to be fired,' another CDC physician said.
In one case, a potluck luncheon among co-workers was hastily canceled for fear it would be seen as a way to promote cultural diversity.
Despite the harassment, public health employees said they remain committed to their work.
'If I leave, who's going to replace me?' a CDC physician said. 'If nobody replaces me and enough of us leave, then who's going to be doing the public health work?'