Stephen Miller's legal group asks DoJ to look into ‘illegal DEI practices' at Johns Hopkins
In a letter to the justice department's civil rights division, America First Legal asked assistant attorney general Harmeet K Dhillon to investigate and issue enforcement actions against the prestigious medical university for embracing 'a discriminatory DEI regime as a core institutional mandate'.
The legal complaint accuses Johns Hopkins of 'systematically infusing race and other identity-based preferences into medical school admissions, scholarships, faculty hiring, academic curricula, residency programs, and governance.
'Johns Hopkins is not training the next generation of physicians,' the complaint reads. 'It is indoctrinating them.'
America First Legal specifically criticized the university's financial aid program, which began offering full scholarships to all students from families earning less than $300,000 after a $1bn donation from alum Michael Bloomberg in 2024
The complaint alleges: 'Johns Hopkins is Using 'Socioeconomic Status' as a Proxy for Race-Based Admissions' to circumvent the supreme court's ruling ending affirmative action.
'Johns Hopkins has constructed a facade of legality around a deeply illegal system. They have replaced explicit race-based admissions with upstream sorting, downstream subsidies, and bureaucratic double-speak designed to preserve racial preferences,' America First Legal attorney Megan Redshaw said in a statement announcing the complaint. 'This is not only unlawful under the Constitution and federal civil rights statutes – it has no place in medicine where competence must come first.'
Founded by Miller in 2020, America First Legal focused on advancing a legal agenda for a second Trump administration. As a White House adviser under the first Trump administration, Miller led work on the Muslim travel ban and family separation policy. After Trump lost the 2020 election, Miller launched America First Legal to continue pursuing the administration's agendas.
It succeeded in winning a 2021 lawsuit blocking implementation of a $29bn Covid-era Small Business Administration program for restaurants owned by women, veterans and people from socially and economically disadvantaged groups; another against CBS and Paramount alleging discrimination against a white, straight man who wrote for the show Seal Team; and a case this year allowing Maryland parents to have their children opt out of lessons using LGBTQ books.
America First Legal addressed its complaint regarding Johns Hopkins directly to Dhillon, head of the justice department's civil rights division and a conservative attorney known for her lawsuits opposing Covid-19 restrictions and gender-affirming care for minors.
The letter accuses Johns Hopkins of evading the supreme court's affirmative action ruling by focusing on pathway programs.
The letter alleges: 'The use of DEI-based discrimination in medical education isn't just illegal, it's especially indefensible. No sector demands greater adherence to merit and objectivity than medicine, where decisions made by physicians can mean the difference between life and death.'
Emerging research shows that diversifying the medical workforce may end racial disparities in healthcare: one 2023 study in the Journal of American Medicine found that Black people in counties with more Black primary care physicians live longer, and guidance from the American Medical Association explains why Native American patients may not trust white doctors.
Sign up to This Week in Trumpland
A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration
after newsletter promotion
Only about 5% of US doctors are Black, even though Black Americans make up 14% of the US population. Medical school applications from Black and Hispanic students fell sharply after the supreme court's affirmative action ruling.
In 2020, Johns Hopkins University announced that its founder owned slaves during the 19th century. At the time, university officials wrote they decided to share the development as part of the school's effort 'to deepen our historical understanding of the legacy of racism in our country, our city, and our institutions'.
America First Legal's complaint asks the justice department and the Department of Health and Human Services to require Johns Hopkins end all offices, residencies, outreach initiatives, scholarships, admissions pipelines and other programs that focus on race. It also calls for the federal government to suspend funding streams 'currently supporting discriminatory practices' and conduct an audit on all funding awarded to the university since 2021.
A major recipient of federal research dollars, Johns Hopkins announced in March that it would cut more than 2,000 jobs after the Trump administration slashed $800m in grants to the administration through the now dismantled US Agency for International Development.
The institution is also currently under investigation alongside nine other elite universities set to be visited by the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
FTSE 100 hits new high amid US trade talk optimism
European stocks climbed on Wednesday, boosted by hopes of further progress in trade talks after the US struck a deal with Japan. The FTSE 100 index closed up 37.68 points, 0.4%, at 9,061.49, a record closing peak. It had earlier hit an all-time high of 9,080.09. The FTSE 250 closed up 79.23 points, 0.4%, at 22,013.49 and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.85 points, 0.5%, at 773.99. In European equities on Wednesday, the Cac 40 in Paris advanced 1.5%, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt gained 0.8%. In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.4%, the S&P 500 traded 0.3% higher and the Nasdaq Composite firmed 0.2%. Late on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the US had agreed a 'massive' trade deal with Japan that would include a 15% tariff on its exports. He had previously threatened Japan, a major US trading partner, with a tariff of 25% beginning on August 1 if a deal was not reached. 'We just completed a massive Deal with Japan, perhaps the largest Deal ever made,' Mr Trump announced on social media. Under the deal, 'Japan will invest, at my direction, USD550 Billion Dollars into the US, which will receive 90% of the Profits', he added. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was more circumspect, saying he needed to examine the deal before commenting. 'As for what to make of the outcome of the negotiations, I am not able to discuss it until after we carefully examine the details of the negotiations and the agreement,' he told reporters in Tokyo after Mr Trump's announcement in Washington. The deal comes after Mr Ishiba faced a bruising weekend election that left his coalition without a majority in the upper house. 'The trade agreement is undoubtedly good news for Japan,' said Kathleen Brooks at XTB. 'The auto component is by far the biggest coup for Japan, as that makes up the bulk of exports to the US. 'By lowering the auto tariff rate to 15% – auto tariffs were a flat 25% rate before the exemption for Japan – it is giving hope that those countries who have yet to agree tariff rates with the US can seal good deals if they pledge investment into the US.' The trade pact sent equities soaring in Asia with the Nikkei 225 closing up 3.5% on Wednesday and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong gaining 1.6%. Car makers such as Toyota climbed 14%, and Honda jumped 11%. Mitsubishi rose a more modest 3.6%. European car makers rose, with BMW, Mercedes-Benz Group and Volkswagen up 4.4%, 5.9% and 5.3% respectively, in Frankfurt. Renault was up 2.6% in Paris, and Citroen and Fiat owner Stellantis was up 8.9% in Milan. In London, luxury car maker Aston Martin Lagonda rose 8.1%. Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid said the Japan deal has 'significantly raised hopes that the EU might also be able to reach a trade deal, as they've been threatened with 30% tariffs on August 1'. Attention in the US will also be on tech earnings, with results due from Tesla and Alphabet after the closing bell in New York. The pound rose to 1.3571 dollars late on Wednesday afternoon in London, compared with 1.3508 at the equities close on Tuesday. The euro traded at 1.1737 dollars, slightly up against 1.1735. Against the yen, the dollar was trading lower at 146.33 compared with 146.49. On the FTSE 100, Informa rose 5.3%. It raised its full-year outlook and added to its share buyback after reporting 20% growth in half-year sales and adjusted profit. The London-based international events, digital services and academic publishing business increased full-year underlying revenue growth guidance to at least 6% from at least 5%, including 8% plus in Live B2B Events. The dividend was increased by 9.4% to 7.0 pence from 6.4p. In addition, Informa said it would buy back a further £150 million of shares through the second half of 2025, taking the total commitment to £350 million in 2025. On the FTSE 250, Breedon tumbled 7.3% as it forecast that full-year profit will be at the low end of market expectations. The Leicestershire-based building materials company said that given a 'difficult' first half and macroeconomic headwinds, 'we now expect our result for the full year will be at the low end of the current range of market expectations'. Breedon put the range for 2025 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation between £291.4 million to £311.5 million, growth of at least 19% from £245.8 million in 2024. Halfords rose 2.9% as Panmure Liberum upgraded it to 'buy' from 'hold' with a 200p share price target. The broker noted 'evidence of tangible green shoots' and said recent trading has pointed to a fundamental improvement rather than a one-off performance. 'However, given previous false dawns, investors may require further evidence before declaring a new era,' Panmure Liberum added. The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was quoted at 4.38%, up from 4.34%. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was quoted at 4.94%, widened from 4.91%. The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Informa, up 40.8p, at 866.8p, JD Sports Fashion, up 3.9p at 89.7p, AstraZeneca, up 322.0p at 10,674.0p, Ashtead, up 122.0p at 4,857.0p and Croda International, up 62.0p at 2,879.0p. The biggest fallers were Centrica, down 5.3p at 158.7p, SSE, down 58.0p at 1,912.0p, United Utilities, down 28.5p at 1,138.5p, Severn Trent, down 66.0p at 2,717.0p and National Grid, down 22.0p at 1,062.5p. Brent oil was quoted lower at 68.24 dollars a barrel in London on Wednesday, from 68.30 dollars late on Tuesday. Gold eased to 3,412.38 dollars an ounce against 3,426.29 dollars.
The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Harvard under investigation over participation in visa program for foreign students and researchers
In the latest in series of Trump administration inquiries targeting Harvard University, the State Department said Wednesday it is investigating whether the Ivy League school will remain part of a government program that provides American visas for students and researchers from other countries. Harvard has faced mounting sanctions and scrutiny from Washington since rejecting demands from a federal antisemitism task force in April. Harvard has filed a lawsuit challenging $2.6 billion in federal cuts and has accused the Republican administration of waging a retaliation campaign. The statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not say why his department was examining Harvard's eligibility to take part in the Exchange Visitor Program, which allows foreign nationals to study or work in the United States through cultural and education exchange programs. It said all sponsors, such as Harvard, 'are required to fully comply with exchange visitor regulations, transparency in reporting, and a demonstrated commitment to fostering the principles of cultural exchange and mutual understanding upon which the program was founded.' A spokesman for Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department said the investigation will seek to ensure that its programs "do not run contrary to our nation's interests.' The administration also has tried several times to prevent the school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from hosting foreign students, and President Donald Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status. Last month, his administration issued a finding that Harvard tolerated antisemitism, a step that could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding, including student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a 'death sentence.' Harvard's president, Alan Garber, has said the university has made changes to combat antisemitism and will not submit to the administration's demands. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
MAGA turns its fury on CIA Director John Ratcliffe
President Donald Trump's MAGA supporters have a new target for their fury: his CIA director John Ratcliffe. And it's all because of Barack Obama. Ratcliffe, who served as the director of the Office of National Intelligence (ODNI) in Trump's first administration, is one of the president's most loyal supporters. But now MAGA supporters are asking why he didn't originally declassify the documents tied to the investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 election that were released last week. Criticism arose after Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's current intel chief, released a report that accused Obama of being behind a 'treasonous conspiracy' to allege Russia interfered in the 2020 election on Trump's behalf. Now MAGA supporters are furious that this did not come to light earlier. 'Wait! The current CIA director John Ratcliffe had the position of ODNI in the first Trump administration. Why didn't he declassify the documents proving the Russian collusion corruption by the Obama cabal that Tulsi Gabbard has now made public?,' Trump loyalist Roger Stone wrote on X. The CIA did not immediately respond to Daily Mail's request for comment. But in Trump's first term, Ratcliffe did release some documents tied to the Russia investigation, including a CIA memo that revealed Hillary Clinton had approved a plan to publicly tie Trump to the country's hack of the Democratic National Committee. At that time, Trump was running against Joe Biden for a second term in the White House - a contest he would ultimately lose. His campaign seized upon Ratcliffe's move as new evidence that Clinton was in a scheme to discredit Trump, who refers to the matter as the 'Russia hoax.' Additionally, in this Trump term, Ratcliffe and Gabbard have declassified information to allege Obama administration officials manipulated intelligence and conspired to undermine the legitimacy of Trump's win in 2016. And, earlier this month Ratcliffe released an internal CIA review of its Russia investigation, which found the agency failed in some cases to follow standard procedures. Ratcliffe, a longtime Trump loyalist, argued the review showed that Democratic appointees who led the agency at the time 'manipulated intelligence and silenced career professionals — all to get Trump.' Gabbard added fuel to the fire on Friday when she released a 114-page document that she says shows the Obama administration was aware that there was no threat of Russia 'directly' manipulating the vote in 2016. 'Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people,' Gabbard said in a statement. She called for an investigation into and potential criminal prosecution of anyone who took part – which may include Obama and James Comey, the former FBI director. Obama fired back at the 'bizarre allegations' coming from Trump. His office dismissed the claims as another example of the constant 'nonsense and misinformation' that emanates out of the White House. 'Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes,' his post-presidency office said in a statement. The documents revealed insider discussions among top Obama officials about Russia 's much-debated role in the 2016 U.S. elections. Trump latched on to them and issued an extraordinary call to investigate the former president – accusing his predecessor of 'treason.' 'After what they did to me, whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people,' Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday. President Trump accused his Democratic rivals of organizing a failed 'coup' in 2016, when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton and captured the White House . 'They tried to rig the election and they got caught and there should be really severe consequences,' he said. Trump has long argued that the FBI counterintelligence probe that began during the 2016 election was the start of a 'coup' to prevent him from taking office. But a bipartisan Senate investigation in 2020 found that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. One of the leaders of that probe was Marco Rubio, who was a senator on the intelligence committee at the time and now serves as Trump's secretary of state.
