Civil rights organization declares 'state of national emergency,' citing attacks on DEI

Fox News

7 days ago

A civil rights organization declared a "state of national emergency" in response to the Trump administration's policies.
NPR's Juana Summers interviewed Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League, to discuss why the organization declared a state of national emergency.
The organization has been releasing a report called the "State of Black America" for over four decades. According to the organization's website, the report "explores the inequities across America's economics, employment, education, health, housing, criminal justice, and civic participation systems through research and the words of our contributors."
This year, the National Urban League's report is titled "State of Emergency: Democracy, Civil Rights And Progress Under Attack."
Morial first addressed the annual report on the State of Black America when prompted by Summers to describe what it means.
"There's an unprecedented attack on the gains of the last 70 years. And think about it. Seventy years ago, Brown v. the Board of Education began the dismantling of segregation in America," Morial said.
He went on to cite voter suppression, "attacks" on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and "cutbacks" on Medicaid, food stamps, veterans' benefits, and education.
Morial's comments came after President Donald Trump vowed to target DEI. Trump's crusade against DEI began on the first day of his second term with an executive order, "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing."
Summers pressed Morial further, asking him to spell out Trump's objective to dismantle DEI programs. She added that the pushback against DEI occurred before Trump.
"To your mind, what has changed since people who oppose these types of policies came into power in the federal government in 2025?" Summer asked.
"Think about the executive orders that seek to shut down the enforcement mechanisms, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Education and the complete change in mission of the Civil Rights Division," Morial said. "All of these specific things when taken together just simply represent an assault on the idea of equal opportunity, on the idea of racial justice, on the idea of, yes, diversity, equity and inclusion, which is a strength of America - a powerful, powerful strength of America. And that is why so many of us have had to stand up a very strong effort to resist through the courts. Some are protesting."
Morial said that the National Urban League is working on slowing down the "Make America Great Again" movement.
"We're doing everything possible to try to slow down this movement, and it is a movement. It's called the MAGA movement. You can call it that. But it's bigger than politics because it is a broad-based assault, using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity," he said.
The National Urban League told Fox News Digital that they have made an effort to reach out to Trump administration officials.
"The National Urban League requested meetings with GOP House and Senate leaders and Trump administration cabinet officers and has not received responses," Morial said.