Federal Government Bans DEIA—Requires Employees to Snitch On Each Other

Sharing a confidential memo sent to me by multiple Federal Employees, one that demonstrates how heavily this White House is leaning into fascism

In my nearly 15 years as an attorney I’ve made connections through formal projects, legal cases, and personal friendships with federal employees across the federal government. This spans the Department of Labor, Department of Justice, the White House, and more. These experiences have given me access to insights not generally available to the public on the inner workings of government.

This week my phone buzzed with more concerned private messages than at any point over the last decade plus. And each message related the same confidential memo from the Acting Attorney General. A memo that bans all DEIA initiatives in the federal government and threatens “adverse consequences” for federal employees who don’t snitch on their colleagues. Fascism has come to America, and we must take it seriously. I produce the text of the memo below, and my analysis. Let’s Address This.

For starters, we knew this fascist policy was coming as Project 2025 laid it out in detail. I wrote about this last July in an article titled, Project 2025 Attacks Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, stating and warning:

Project 2025 views DEI as the source of all ills in America. It is dead set on returning our government and business hiring practices to the Jim Crow era, a time when Black people, Asians, Latinos, and women had no meaningful opportunity for an equal shot at admission, a job, a loan, or a promotion. A Project 2025 administration will absolutely further normalize discrimination against people of color and women, not to mention LGBTQ+ Americans.

The 1-page fascist memo begins with a heading of who it is from, who it is for, and what is the subject matter. I am using a letter sent by a colleague at the DOJ, however I received similar letters from colleagues across multiples federal departments.

Office of the Attorney General

Washington, D.C. 20530

January 22, 2025

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES

FROM: THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL

SUBJECT: Closure of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA)

Programs at the Department of Justice (DOJ)

The memo starts by citing Donald Trump’s executive order as the reason behind the move to end all DEIA initiatives and contracts at the Department of Justice.

We are taking steps to close all DOJ DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump's executive orders titled "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions."

Then the memo takes an even more sinister turn with it first set of fabrications, stating:

These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.

Let’s address each of these allegations one by one, because they are all patently false.

DEIA and Race

DEIA programs have not “divided Americans by race.” The purpose of DEIA programs is to ensure a given organization builds strategy and leadership that meaningfully represents the needs of the people it is serving. In this case, a Federal Government that is supposed to serve all Americans regardless of cast, color, or creed. MAGAs understand this concept, even if they refuse to admit this concept. Who can forget President Donald Trump’s January 20, 2025 inauguration speech when he said:

We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety and peace for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed.

I hate to break it to MAGAs, but what Donald Trump is talking about only happens with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. You cannot bring prosperity to “every race, religion, color, and creed” without first ensuring you are including them in an equitable way in our society. What Trump declared as his inaugural mission is literally what DEIA accomplishes.

DEIA and Taxpayer Dollars

Moreover, far from “wasting taxpayer dollars,” study after study shows that DEIA initiatives save organizations money and increase profitability. Forbes cites numerous studies to report that,

Numerous prior studies have proven that diverse workforces perform better than companies without diverse talent and an inclusive culture. According to the Claremont Graduate University's Drucker Institute as reported by the Wall Street Journal, "the 512 firms with a leader in an explicit DEI role scored, on average, significantly higher in nearly all of the elements of its rankings than the 190 companies lacking such a position." Companies were evaluated on "customer satisfaction, employee engagement and development, innovation, social responsibility and financial strength." Research from Great Place to Work found that diverse and inclusive companies have employee retention rates 5.4 times higher than non-inclusive companies.

And, as this detailed analysis from McKinsey and Company demonstrates, gender and ethnic diversity in leadership demonstrably results in major increases in financial outperformance. Far from “wasting taxpayer dollars,” as the fascist memo claims, DEIA initiatives maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars.

DEIA and Discrimination

Finally, the fascist memo’s claim that DEIA initiatives “resulted in shameful discrimination” is a not-so-veiled claim of the made up “anti-white” discrimination that MAGAs insist exists. It is of no surprise that the fascist memo, nor any Trump document, can provide examples or evidence of this alleged discrimination caused by DEIA. First, because the entire purpose of DEIA is to work against racial discrimination by ensuring everyone has the opportunity to contribute and be included in an equitable and accessible way. And second, because discrimination on the basis of nationality is already banned—so if someone is discriminated against because they are Italian, or Jewish, or Black, or Asian, or any ethnicity—federal law already protects them for their immutable characteristics.

In reality, MAGAs are upset that women, people with disabilities, people of color, Indigenous, and Black people are now also included in the conversation of who gets to represent and lead our country. It reminds me of that old saying, “When you’ve had privilege your whole life, equality feels like oppression.”

Fascist Surveillance and Fascist Orders

The memo then continues with a sinister statement about how the government is “aware” of people committing apparently secret DEIA. This suggests that the Trump administration is secretly surveilling its employees without their knowledge. Who really knows, as this administration could just as easily be lying to strike fear and chill free speech and expression. The memo then issues an order — report anyone engaging in secret DEIA to DEIAtruth@opm.gov.

We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language. If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances to DEIAtruth@opm.gov within 10 days.

This is a good time to remind you that in 1933, the Nazis issued a decree called the “For the Defense against Malicious Attacks against the Government,” that required Germans to snitch on anyone who spoke against the party, its leaders, or the government. More recently in 2015, North Korea’s dictator issued a rule that rewards citizens for snitching on other citizens speaking out against the government. And now in 2025, the United States government under MAGA fascism has issued a memo forcing its federal employees to snitch on other federal employees who support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. This is fascism, and it is expanding.

But you know, maybe we should all email our DEIA concerns to DEIAtruth@opm.gov?

Perhaps you know of someone in the Vice President’s office who is Scottish-Irish American and married to an Indian American, and they have mixed race children. That is Diversity and clearly a crime per this fascist memo.

Or maybe you know someone at the Department of Labor who is requiring accessibility ramps in front of all buildings for people who use wheelchairs—like for Texas Governor Greg Abbott. That form of Accessibility is clearly a threat per this fascist memo and the person requiring that accessibility should be reported.

I, for one, will be reporting a White House employee who insists, “We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety and peace for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed.” That type of Equity and Inclusion has no place in modern America, per this fascist memo, and we need to ensure he is fired from his job immediately. Who agrees?

If so, please email DEIAtruth@opm.gov and report him immediately.

Fascist Threats

Finally, the fascist memo concludes with a written threat. I warned of this threat in my article last July when I wrote:

Project 2025 absolutely will fine, punish, and arguably imprison for alleged racial discrimination anyone who even mentions the concepts of DEI. It is imperative, therefore, that we do not allow this fascist manifesto to become American policy.

The fascist memo concludes as follows:

There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information. However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

The daunting contrast of “comply and you’ll be fine, refuse to snitch and you suffer” is simply horrifying. And that is likely the point of this cruelty.

While Trump claims he is a victim of weaponized government, this fascist memo is the actual and blatant weaponization of government power to silence and harm those who are already vulnerable. While Trump claims he will restore free speech, this fascist memo does the opposite and actively undermines free speech. While Trump claims January 20th was “Liberation Day” for “citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed,” this fascist memo makes clear that only straight white evangelical Christian men are allowed. It serves as a stark reminder that while Trump’s rhetoric may be riddled with lies, his actions speak volumes—and they are deeply dangerous to the principles of justice that should guide our government.

Conclusion

I have said this before and it bears repeating—the MAGA claims that “DEI” stands for “Didn’t Earn It” is truly remarkable because in reality, generating historic wealth through 2 billion acres of stolen land from Native Americans, enslaving Black people for 300 years, banning Asian immigration until 1965, and banning women from financial access til 1974—all without paying a single red cent in reparations or restitution—is the living breathing example of not earning it.

Indeed, every MAGA accusation is a confession.

I close instead with the wisdom of the late, great, Toni Morrison, whose books have been banned by many of these same right wing MAGA extremists. Morrison beautifully reminds us that:

The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.

The MAGA agenda’s elimination of DEIA programs serves this purpose precisely—advance white supremacy while distracting from the actual issues plaguing the American people. Issues like unaffordable housing, criminally low wages, the increasing climate crisis, and oh, apparently the high price of eggs—none of which are resolved by these sinister and fascist McCarthyism tactics.

I cannot tell federal employees what to do with their careers and livelihoods. I am hopeful, however, that they band together against these injustices and refuse to undermine each other’s safety and security. I am hopeful they stand united as American citizens and neighbors, and reject this hateful injustice at its core. And in the meantime, I encourage all Americans to activate and organize locally and nationally to stop this fascism. That is how we form a more perfect Union.