A federal judge has expanded his previous ruling blocking President Donald Trump’s executive orders that seek to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, extending the prohibition to all federal agencies, departments, and commissions.
U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson in Maryland issued a clarified preliminary injunction on March 10, confirming that his Feb. 21 order applies not only to the federal entities named in the lawsuit but to all executive branch agencies carrying out Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI-related federal funding and policies.
The ruling comes as part of an ongoing lawsuit, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump, in which higher education groups, civil rights organizations, and the City of Baltimore challenged Trump’s executive actions as unconstitutional. The plaintiffs argue that the orders restrict free speech, exceed the president’s authority, and create confusion for grant recipients and contractors who rely on federal funding….