70% of the Civil Rights Division’s workforce have quit
Washington, D.C. — More than 100 attorneys and staff in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have resigned amid a sweeping shift in the division’s mission under President Donald Trump’s administration, which critics say is an assault on civil rights protections.
The resignations reflect deep resistance within the department to the new leadership’s directives to abandon traditional civil rights enforcement in favor of aggressively targeting diversity programs, transgender rights, and progressive cities.
Mass Exodus from Civil Rights Division
Since early 2025, the Civil Rights Division has seen an unprecedented wave of departures.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, appointed by Trump, has openly acknowledged that over 100 attorneys have opted not to perform their duties under the new mandate, with expectations that the total number of resignations could exceed 200 out of approximately 340 staff members.
This represents roughly 70% of the division’s workforce.
Dhillon has framed the resignations as acceptable, stating in an interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck that the division no longer seeks employees who view their mission as targeting police departments or promoting what she calls “progressive ideologies.” Instead, the division’s new priorities align with President Trump’s agenda, which includes dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, reversing transgender rights policies, and focusing on antisemitism and voter fraud cases.
Shift in Mission and Priorities
Historically, the Civil Rights Division has played a critical role in protecting constitutional rights, including overseeing police departments for civil rights violations, defending voting rights, and combating housing discrimination. However, the Trump administration’s reorientation represents a radical departure from this legacy.
Memos issued by Dhillon in early April made clear that the division’s priorities would reflect Trump’s executive orders and political agenda.
The division is now focusing on cases that critics argue are politically motivated, such as scrutinizing Ivy League institutions, schools, and liberal municipalities, while abandoning longstanding civil rights protections for marginalized groups.
This shift is part of a broader federal policy blueprint known as Project 2025, developed by former Trump officials and the Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 outlines a radical restructuring of the executive branch to enforce conservative policies, including mass deportations, limiting voting access, and expanding executive power to suppress dissent and civil liberties
Internal Resistance and Fallout
The resignations reveal profound internal resistance to what many DOJ employees perceive as an assault on civil rights. Veteran attorneys and staff have expressed that they are being forced out or compelled to leave because they refuse to carry out directives that undermine the division’s traditional mission.
The department’s “deferred resignation program” has facilitated this exodus by allowing employees to resign while continuing to receive salaries for a designated period, softening the financial impact of their departure.
Legal experts and civil rights advocates warn that the mass departure of experienced
attorneys could significantly weaken the Justice Department’s ability to enforce
federal civil rights laws, leaving vulnerable communities without adequate protection.
The mass resignation of over 100 DOJ Civil Rights Division employees underscores a dramatic transformation in the federal government’s approach to civil rights enforcement under President Trump. The shift away from protecting marginalized groups toward advancing a politically charged agenda has prompted a historic internal revolt, raising serious concerns about the future of civil rights protections in the United States.
