Over 100 attorneys have fled the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, unwilling to align with President Trump’s bold new priorities. The mass resignations follow a decisive shift away from woke policies, as announced by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.
ABC News reported that the Civil Rights Division, established in the 1950s to champion justice post-Civil Rights movement, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Over 100 attorneys have resigned, unwilling to enforce the administration’s agenda.
The division is now prioritizing issues like protecting women’s sports and addressing anti-Christian bias. Harmeet Dhillon, confirmed as Assistant Attorney General on February 26, 2025, by the Senate Judiciary Committee, is leading this overhaul.
Last week, she issued memos to the division’s 11 sections, outlining a departure from Biden-era policies. The focus is now on President Trump’s vision, not progressive ideology.
Dhillon’s memos made it clear that the division’s priorities would pivot sharply from enforcing voting rights and policing reforms. Instead, the department will tackle issues like transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports. This realignment prompted dozens of leftist attorneys to resign en masse.
“What we have made very clear last week in memos to each of the 11 sections in the Civil Rights Division is that our priorities under President Trump are going to be somewhat different from they were under President Biden,” Dhillon said. She emphasized that attorneys were told to align with the new directives or leave. Over 100 chose the latter.
“And then we tell them, these are the President’s priorities, this is what we will be focusing on — you know, govern yourself accordingly,” Dhillon added.
The resignations reflect a refusal to abandon woke agendas for the administration’s focus on federal civil rights enforcement. The division is now seeking new talent to fill the void.
The department has already withdrawn from a Biden-era lawsuit challenging Georgia’s voting laws. This move underscores the shift away from progressive priorities that dominated the division’s work. The focus is now on issues that resonate with traditional values.
Dhillon has also launched a task force to investigate incidents of anti-Christian bias. This initiative aims to protect religious freedoms, a stark contrast to the division’s previous emphasis on statistical policing critiques. The task force is a cornerstone of the new agenda.
“We don’t want people in the federal government who feel like it’s their pet project to go persecute police departments based on statistical evidence or persecute people praying outside abortion facilities instead of doing violence,” Dhillon stated.
She insists the division’s role is to enforce civil rights laws, not advance ideological crusades. This clarity has driven the exodus.
Dhillon is actively recruiting lawyers and investigators to support the administration’s priorities. She aims to rebuild the division with professionals committed to the new direction. “You need more lawyers, investigators, and commitment to do the work,” she said.
The department plans to pursue legal action against states allowing transgender athletes in women’s sports. This policy targets what many see as an erosion of fairness in athletics. It aligns with the administration’s broader push against cultural overreach.
Dhillon also highlighted plans to target institutions like Harvard University, though specifics remain undisclosed. The division’s new focus requires a robust team to execute its ambitious goals. “We’re going to run out of attorneys to work on these things at some point,” she warned.
Top Democrats expressed alarm over the division’s new direction in a letter sent Monday to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Dhillon, and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. They criticized what they see as the politicization of the Civil Rights Division. The letter reflects growing partisan tensions.
Under Dhillon’s leadership, the Civil Rights Division is poised to redefine its legacy. The exodus of over 100 attorneys marks a turning point, as the department aligns with President Trump’s vision. The nation watches as this storied institution charts a new course.