Trump orders end to federal enforcement of "disparate impact" civil rights protections, removing a key tool against systemic bias in jobs, housing, and lending. Critics warn the move could worsen inequality and face major legal challenges.
President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to stop enforcing civil rights laws based on "disparate impact", a legal principle that targets unintentional policies that disproportionately harm protected groups like women and minorities. This change affects areas like employment, housing, education, and lending.
What is Disparate Impact?
"Disparate impact" refers to policies that seem neutral but result in unequal outcomes for certain groups. It was first recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 (Griggs v. Duke Power), and later added into law by Congress in 1991. The concept has been widely used to hold employers and institutions accountable even when discrimination isn’t intentional, encouraging more inclusive practices.
Why is Trump Opposed?
In an April executive order, Trump argued that disparate impact lawsuits undermine merit-based decisions and are part of a broader agenda to prioritize diversity over qualifications. He believes these rules unfairly assume discrimination exists when group outcomes differ, even for legitimate reasons.
What Do Advocates Say?
Civil rights groups argue that the disparate impact standard is crucial to uncover and address systemic discrimination. They say the removal of this tool could worsen existing inequalities and make it harder to hold organizations accountable for biased outcomes.
Examples of Disparate Impact:
- Physical tests that disproportionately screen out women or older workers
- Refusing to hire individuals with criminal records, which can disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic applicants
- Loan denial policies based on credit scores, which may impact minority groups more heavily
- Such policies are legal if they're necessary for the business, like requiring law degrees for lawyers.
What Does the Order Do?
Trump's directive tells federal agencies, including those overseeing employment, housing, and lending to stop using disparate impact in enforcement and reconsider existing cases and settlements. That could undo past agreements that required anti-discrimination reforms.
What Happens Next?
The move is likely to halt some government investigations and discourage new ones. Legal challenges are expected from civil rights groups and Democratic officials, arguing the executive order goes beyond Trump’s legal authority. Many of his recent executive actions have already faced lawsuits.
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 s...
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week....
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tacti...
A new batch of photographs from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has been released by the House Oversight Committee, shedding light on the financier’s con...
The European Union has announced plans to indefinitely freeze Russian assets held within the bloc, in a move aimed at ensuring up to $246 billion in R...
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to maintain both a “good working relationship” with China and a “very strong alliance” with Japan, even as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.
Putin’s visit to India has put the spotlight on New Delhi’s evolving defence strategy as it seeks to modernise Russian-made systems with domestic production. At the same time, India is carefully navigating its ties with the U.S. and Europe ahead of key diplomatic visits.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kyiv has escalated its naval campaign against Moscow’s economic lifelines, claiming a successful strike on a vessel suspected of skirting international sanctions within the Black Sea.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
Hungary has strongly criticised NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that Russia could be capable of attacking the alliance within five years, with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó describing the remarks as irresponsible and dangerous.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to halt all shooting from Friday evening following renewed fighting along their shared border, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday.
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 steel products.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment