Latest news with #FairHousingActof1968
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Under Trump, the division formerly known as ‘civil rights' is in peril
The civil rights division used to be the crown jewel of the Justice Department. Now, because of the department's unbounded commitment to implement President Trump's agenda, it is a profound embarrassment — or it would be, if the ideological rigidity of the department's leadership were not such effective armor against that discomfort. I have practiced law in Washington, D.C. for more than 45 years. In the Clinton White House, I was the liaison between the White House counsel's office and the Justice Department. I served during the Obama administration in the deputy attorney general's office, and in the civil rights division from 2022 until January 2025. In addition, over many years in private practice, I dealt frequently with the department, including in the aftermath of Watergate, and then under Reagan, both Bushes, and Trump. I can say with certainty that the current assault on civil rights is not normal, and that this is not a proper way to run a law enforcement agency. Although past Republican administrations have been accused of neglecting civil rights, none exhibited the Trump administration's destructive, nihilist hostility toward civil rights. Even if the department did not always combat racial discrimination with the vigor that critics wanted, at least it did not reflexively oppose such enforcement at the insistence of political taskmasters. The Justice Department has always followed broad policy cues from the White House. But the Department has steadfastly cordoned off its enforcement decisions. I recall, when serving as senior counsel in the White House, being 'asked' to leave a meeting at Justice that unexpectedly turned to enforcement issues. At all times, I understood that the independence of the department was sacrosanct. Indeed, part of my job as a political appointee at the department was to insulate the nonpartisan career employees from political pressures. To my knowledge, no one suggested that career employees — in the argot of the current administration–needed to 'get with' the president's program or leave. Regarding that agenda, I do not take issue with the civil rights division's announced intent to address antisemitism and discrimination against Christians. Such discrimination is invidious and merits investigation. The problem lies not in including those areas but rather in ignoring or discounting all the other forms of bias. For example, the new assistant attorney general heading the civil rights division has issued new mission statements for each of the division's sections. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 is the foundational document for the housing section's efforts to combat discrimination. Yet the mission statement for the section reportedly does not mention it. The mission statement for the voting section is similarly myopic. For much of the 20th Century, few Black people in the South could vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to end that disenfranchisement — to guarantee a right that, as President Lyndon Johnson put it, 'no American, true to our principles, can deny.' Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement fought, suffered, and died for this law. It was their seminal achievement and the touchstone of the work of the Voting Section. Yet the new mission statement barely mentions the Voting Rights Act. Instead, it addresses fraud and noncitizen voting, minuscule problems in the American electoral system. It focuses not on discrimination but rather reflects Trump's flat earth conspiracy theory that he won the 2020 election. The civil rights division has now sought to match the staffing of the section to its anemic mission, ousting the section's leadership, dismissing its cases, and reportedly reducing the legal staff to a grand total of three. Magical thinking is not a viable law enforcement strategy. The department cannot stop discrimination by pretending it has ended. It cannot prevent voter suppression by ignoring it or stop assaults on the right to vote by concentrating paltry resources on fringe issues. There is reason to fear that the department's skewed approach goes beyond hostility toward civil rights — that it actually furthers an anti-democratic agenda. Consider the context: While the Justice Department was busy gutting the voting section, Trump issued an Executive Order on elections (since overturned in court) that would have disenfranchised millions of American citizens and sought to disrupt the use of electronic voting machines. In the meantime, the Department of Homeland Security has suspended the efforts of its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help states harden their voting systems against cyberattacks. It has laid off the relevant employee, and ended funding to the group that coordinated security issues for the election community. Further, the Attorney General disbanded the Justice Department task force fighting foreign attempts to influence U.S. elections and is dismantling the public integrity section of the department's criminal division, which has prosecuted voter fraud and intimidation. Interwoven with all these efforts is Trump's non-stop denial of the results of the 2020 election. These efforts undercut the operation and integrity of our electoral system and undermine public confidence in it, with the civil rights division in tow. Since Attorney General Edward Levi in 1975 redeemed the Justice Department from the political abuses of Watergate, the department, in both Republican and Democratic administrations, has at least tried to maintain an appropriate level of independence, to enforce the law fairly against friend and foe, and to avoid any taint of partisanship — until now. What is happening in the Justice Department, especially in the civil rights division, is not normal. The norm is to safeguard the integrity of law enforcement, to follow the law, to protect civil rights and to respect the Constitution. It is not to carry out the president's political agenda. Robert Weiner formerly served as senior counsel in the front office of the civil rights division of the Department of Justice. He is now director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Under Trump, the division formerly known as ‘civil rights' is in peril
The civil rights division used to be the crown jewel of the Justice Department. Now, because of the department's unbounded commitment to implement President Trump's agenda, it is a profound embarrassment — or it would be, if the ideological rigidity of the department's leadership were not such effective armor against that discomfort. I have practiced law in Washington, D.C. for more than 45 years. In the Clinton White House, I was the liaison between the White House counsel's office and the Justice Department. I served during the Obama administration in the deputy attorney general's office, and in the civil rights division from 2022 until January 2025. In addition, over many years in private practice, I dealt frequently with the department, including in the aftermath of Watergate, and then under Reagan, both Bushes, and Trump. I can say with certainty that the current assault on civil rights is not normal, and that this is not a proper way to run a law enforcement agency. Although past Republican administrations have been accused of neglecting civil rights, none exhibited the Trump administration's destructive, nihilist hostility toward civil rights. Even if the department did not always combat racial discrimination with the vigor that critics wanted, at least it did not reflexively oppose such enforcement at the insistence of political taskmasters. The Justice Department has always followed broad policy cues from the White House. But the Department has steadfastly cordoned off its enforcement decisions. I recall, when serving as senior counsel in the White House, being 'asked' to leave a meeting at Justice that unexpectedly turned to enforcement issues. At all times, I understood that the independence of the department was sacrosanct. Indeed, part of my job as a political appointee at the department was to insulate the nonpartisan career employees from political pressures. To my knowledge, no one suggested that career employees — in the argot of the current administration–needed to 'get with' the president's program or leave. Regarding that agenda, I do not take issue with the civil rights division's announced intent to address antisemitism and discrimination against Christians. Such discrimination is invidious and merits investigation. The problem lies not in including those areas but rather in ignoring or discounting all the other forms of bias. For example, the new assistant attorney general heading the civil rights division has issued new mission statements for each of the division's sections. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 is the foundational document for the housing section's efforts to combat discrimination. Yet the mission statement for the section reportedly does not mention it. The mission statement for the voting section is similarly myopic. For much of the 20th Century, few Black people in the South could vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to end that disenfranchisement — to guarantee a right that, as President Lyndon Johnson put it, 'no American, true to our principles, can deny.' Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement fought, suffered, and died for this law. It was their seminal achievement and the touchstone of the work of the Voting Section. Yet the new mission statement barely mentions the Voting Rights Act. Instead, it addresses fraud and noncitizen voting, minuscule problems in the American electoral system. It focuses not on discrimination but rather reflects Trump's flat earth conspiracy theory that he won the 2020 election. The civil rights division has now sought to match the staffing of the section to its anemic mission, ousting the section's leadership, dismissing its cases, and reportedly reducing the legal staff to a grand total of three. Magical thinking is not a viable law enforcement strategy. The department cannot stop discrimination by pretending it has ended. It cannot prevent voter suppression by ignoring it or stop assaults on the right to vote by concentrating paltry resources on fringe issues. There is reason to fear that the department's skewed approach goes beyond hostility toward civil rights — that it actually furthers an anti-democratic agenda. Consider the context: While the Justice Department was busy gutting the voting section, Trump issued an Executive Order on elections (since overturned in court) that would have disenfranchised millions of American citizens and sought to disrupt the use of electronic voting machines. In the meantime, the Department of Homeland Security has suspended the efforts of its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help states harden their voting systems against cyberattacks. It has laid off the relevant employee, and ended funding to the group that coordinated security issues for the election community. Further, the Attorney General disbanded the Justice Department task force fighting foreign attempts to influence U.S. elections and is dismantling the public integrity section of the department's criminal division, which has prosecuted voter fraud and intimidation. Interwoven with all these efforts is Trump's non-stop denial of the results of the 2020 election. These efforts undercut the operation and integrity of our electoral system and undermine public confidence in it, with the civil rights division in tow. Since Attorney General Edward Levi in 1975 redeemed the Justice Department from the political abuses of Watergate, the department, in both Republican and Democratic administrations, has at least tried to maintain an appropriate level of independence, to enforce the law fairly against friend and foe, and to avoid any taint of partisanship — until now. What is happening in the Justice Department, especially in the civil rights division, is not normal. The norm is to safeguard the integrity of law enforcement, to follow the law, to protect civil rights and to respect the Constitution. It is not to carry out the president's political agenda. Robert Weiner formerly served as senior counsel in the front office of the civil rights division of the Department of Justice. He is now director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
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Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Contrary to what RFK Jr. claims, my daughter's autism isn't part of an ‘epidemic'
Autism is no 'crisis' As a neuroscientist and father to a remarkable autistic daughter, I strongly reject U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim that rising autism rates represent a 'preventable epidemic.' The increase in autism diagnoses reflects better awareness, broader criteria and greater equity for marginalized groups. It's not a crisis. Kennedy's rhetoric revives harmful myths about vaccines and 'toxins,' stigmatizing families and distracting from what really matters: support and inclusion. Autistic people don't need to be 'cured' or 'prevented,' they need accommodations, access to healthcare and opportunities to thrive. My daughter, like millions of others, benefits from assistive technologies and acceptance, not fear-mongering. Kennedy's approach, including hiring discredited researchers, risks wasting resources and fueling discrimination. Instead of chasing imaginary causes, we must invest in therapies, education and community support, guided by autistic voices. Autism isn't a tragedy. However, the narrative that treats autistic people as problems to be solved is a tragedy. Let's celebrate neurodiversity, reject stigmatizing language and build a society where all minds are valued. Difference isn't a defect — it's a source of strength, innovation and empathy. That's the future my daughter and all autistic people deserve. David Ruttenberg, Boca Raton Fair housing In 1983, Florida lawmakers enacted the Florida Fair Housing Act, reinforcing the state's commitment to ensuring all residents receive fair and equitable treatment in housing transactions. This legislation mirrors the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, adapting its provisions to address the needs of Floridians. Under Florida's Fair Housing Act, individuals are protected from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, sex, religion and familial status. This applies to renting, buying, financing and advertising. The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) is the state agency responsible for enforcing these laws. FCHR investigates complaints of discrimination, provides mediation services and educates the public on their rights and responsibilities, including renting or buying, landlords, real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and other housing providers across the state. If you have faced housing discrimination within the past year, complaints may be filed at no cost and our FCHR team works to resolve cases efficiently. To learn more about your rights or to file a complaint, visit Together, we can ensure equal housing opportunities for all Floridians. Larry Hart, chair, Florida Commission on Human Relations, Tallahassee Utility shutoffs On April 9, I sat in the pews of New Hope Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale for a community town hall as residents shared stories of skyrocketing utility bills and shutoffs during medical emergencies. These are not isolated incidents — they reflect a growing crisis playing out in households across our community. Last summer, South Florida experienced record-breaking temperatures. Yet this legislative session, Tallahassee lawmakers are refusing to even hear the PAUSE Act — a bill that would ban utility shutoffs due to nonpayment during periods of extreme heat. As a result, statewide protections remain nonexistent. Meanwhile, the safety nets people rely on are shrinking. On April 1, the entire staff of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was terminated. Moreover, Broward County's LIHEAP applications are closed due to overwhelming demand. With summer approaching, Florida Power & Light is seeking a $9 billion rate hike — the largest in U.S. history. Yet, Florida's Public Service Commission has scheduled just seven hearings for a rate hike that would impact more than 12 million customers. Floridians deserve better. The Public Service Commission must stop green-lighting unjust rate hikes and lawmakers must act before the next heat wave arrives. Stella Nunes, Coral Springs Fashion victim Ukrainian President Zelenskyy went to the Oval Office and was berated by President Trump and his lackeys for not wearing a coat and tie when in the presence of our Dear Leader. They said it showed 'inner disrespect' for the United States. When the 'coolest dictator,' El Salvador President Bukele, visited the Oval Office dressed like he was auditioning for a remake of 'Miami Vice' (without a coat and tie), he got no snarky comments, but much fawning. Little things say a lot. John Jarnagin, Key Largo Voting burden In a democracy, voting is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who jump over bureaucratic hurdles. However, that's exactly what the SAVE Act would impose: a rigid citizenship verification process blocking tens of millions of eligible voters from participating, with the cruelest effects falling on women and low-income families. According to U.S. State Department data, about 60% of citizens don't hold a passport. Yet the SAVE Act would treat passports as the gold standard for proving citizenship. Obtaining a passport costs at least $130 — not an expense everyone can afford. Under this legislation, if a voter doesn't have a passport when registering to vote, they must produce a birth certificate and current government ID with the same legal name. This would disenfranchise more than 68 million women who legally changed their names when they married. That's not just unreasonable, it's voter suppression wrapped in red tape and disguised as a reform. I call on U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody to uphold the rights of Florida voters, especially those more likely to be burdened by these unnecessary requirements, and vote 'No' on the SAVE Act. Steven M. Perez, Miami Bench press The U.S. judicial system must develop some backbone and stand up to President Trump's administration. The latest episode in Trump's disregard for the judiciary is his administration's completely unbelievable position that it cannot get El Salvador to return Kilmar Ábrego García after he was illegally deported. The judiciary must hold the administration in contempt and enforce actions against all those involved in this miscarriage of justice. The judiciary appears to be the only branch of government with the ability, or at times the desire, to enforce our laws. Howard B. Lucas, Miami Giménez must act On April 7, U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez and his office did not respond to my questions about whether he supports impeaching President Trump. As a citizen and a voter, I am quite unhappy with this lack of foresight and leadership from my district's representative. Trump is obviously leading the country into authoritarianism. His threats not to leave at the end of this term are credible. Hyperbole about the danger of this administration, from immigration to economy, have become reality. He and his cabinet are lawless, unaccountable to our justice system. If we don't impeach him now, American democracy may not survive. I encourage Giménez to publicly commit to upholding his most fundamental democratic role — removing tyrants from office. A commitment to basic facts — that Trump is a tyrant and Congress must act to get him out of the White House — will be a major litmus test for any 2026 candidate. Will Giménez do the right thing for this country and our future? Danielle Edghill, West Kendall Troubled nation At 18, I was a permanent resident of the United States and enlisted in the Army. I served on active duty. My unit was nearly deployed to war twice. I was highly trained and ready to give my life for this great country that gave my family and I everything. I have always believed the U.S. stands for the highest principles of democracy and defends those who cannot. Today, at age 51, I see this belief weakening daily and it pains my heart. I think of the many men and women who valiantly gave their lives for our nation's principles. I do not presume to have all the answers, but we are better than our present reality. I can only hope we return to compassion, principles, respect for the rule of law and our duty to stand up for the most vulnerable. Ramon L. Mendez, Miami
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Daytona housing fair aims to help first-time buyers, those seeking to avoid foreclosure
DAYTONA BEACH — With potentially massive budget cuts looming for federal programs that help first-time homebuyers as well as struggling homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure, the annual Daytona Beach Housing Fair & Financial Wellness Clinic is needed more than ever, its organizers say. This year's event, which is free and open to the general public, will take place on Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Allen Chapel AME Church at 580 George W. Engram Blvd. in Daytona Beach. The housing fair will offer up-to-date information on available resources, one-on-one counseling, and mini-classes on topics such as how to build good credit, navigating the home-buying process, and foreclosure prevention. "The purpose of the event is to educate the public," said Lydia Gregg, executive director of the nonprofit Mid-Florida Housing Partnership, which puts on the annual housing fair in partnership with the City of Daytona Beach. The yearly event is held each April in observance of National Fair Housing Month and the enacting of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status or religion when it comes to selling or renting housing units or providing mortgage loans or insurance policies for homes. MFHP recently held a similar housing fair in Palm Coast that drew more than 100 people. "This event is for the homebuyer, particularly first-time homebuyers. It's also for the homeowner who is looking for the resources that might help them save their home," said Gregg. The event will offer a wide range of experts including MFHP and City of Daytona Beach staff, Realtors, home inspectors, lenders from financial institutions, and insurance industry professionals. "They'll all be there to answer questions and teach classes," said Gregg. "We're also bringing back the very popular free-credit pools so participants will be able to pull their credit reports, completely free of charge with no impact to their credit score." The federal government is currently undergoing massive budget cuts across the board. Looming potential cuts, both in funding and staffing, to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development could hit close to home for many in Florida. Both the State Housing Initiatives Partnership program (S.H.I.P.) and Home Investment Partners program (commonly referred to as "Home Money") rely on federal funding for the grants that the state and local governments use to create affordable housing and provide down-payment assistance programs. "We get several calls a week from people reaching out for help for the first time, people at risk of losing their home," said Gregg. MFHP board member Lucy Stewart-Desmore, a broker associate with LPT Realty, said she has been getting an increasing number of people turning to her for advice because "they've gotten into a bad spot." The problem, Stewart-Desmore said, is that people often wait until it's too late to avoid losing their homes to foreclosure. "Especially when it comes to property ownership, you've got to keep up with every little thing," she said. Addressing problems early on can make a huge difference. It is also important to know what resources are out there that homeowners and prospective homebuyers can tap — if they act now, said Gregg and Stewart-Desmore. "I don't want to say that the sky is falling, but it would be a mistake to assume that there will always be those programs out there," said Gregg. "We're in a time of change and uncertainty like never before." For details, visit the Mid-Florida Housing Partnership's website at or call 386-274-4441. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona housing fair aims to inform first-time buyers, existing owners
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More Buffalonians to be protected from housing discrimination with new legislation
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Fair Housing law expansions were passed earlier this month to guarantee protection for more Buffalonians with minority status, according to a spokesperson with the Buffalo Common Council. The laws now cover those with disabilities, those apart of the LGBTQ+ community, those from other countries, and those who require housing vouchers or public assistance. Race, religion, and national identity are already protected by the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The legislation was passed on April 1, the first day of National Fair Housing Month. 'This critical legislation will give the City of Buffalo's Fair Housing law teeth to ensure that everyone in Buffalo is treated equally when purchasing or renting a home,' said Fair Housing Officer Harold Cardwell, Jr. 'The ability to find safe and sustainable housing of your choice is an inalienable human right.' Realtors and landlords in the city will be required to make 'reasonable' accommodations for those with disabilities, including equal housing language and symbols. In addition, exclusions will be removed for those who own fewer than 20 housing units and fines will be increased for first-time and repeat violations. More time will be given to resolve accusations. 'The ugly legacy of housing discrimination can be seen in cities across the nation, and we see its toxic aftermath in the disparities that impact black communities and low-income households here in the City of Buffalo,' said Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope. 'With this legislation, we will help ensure that no Buffalonian is denied fair access to housing simply for being who they are.' Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
