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.
President Donald Trump declared that the United States will "always be there" for NATO, emphasising the importance of the alliance in countering globa...
On 8 January, 2026, Azerbaijan will carry out the next delivery of oil products to Armenia, with shipments originating from the Guzdak railway station...
Azerbaijan and Syria have reached an agreement to establish a joint business council aimed at enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two...
Snow and ice caused travel chaos in northwest Europe on Wednesday, while others were delighted by the snow-covered streets of Paris, venturing out on ...
The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that had been followed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, following a more than two-week-long pursu...
President Donald Trump declared that the United States will "always be there" for NATO, emphasising the importance of the alliance in countering global threats. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Russia and China only feared NATO as long as the U.S. remained a member.
The United States says it's set to receive a shipment of crude oil from South America following a significant diplomatic and economic arrangement brokered by the White House involving sanctioned assets.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his team say they're actively exploring options to acquire Greenland, with discussions including the potential use of U.S. military, which is "always an option," according to a statement from the White House on Tuesday.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
President Donald Trump declared that the United States will "always be there" for NATO, emphasising the importance of the alliance in countering global threats. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Russia and China only feared NATO as long as the U.S. remained a member.
The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that had been followed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, following a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" on Venezuelan oil exports, according to two U.S. officials speaking to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to advance EU membership discussions and secure stricter sanctions on Russia during a meeting on Wednesday as Cyprus took over the European Union's rotating presidency.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Türkiye is considering draft legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from opening social-media accounts, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment