Civil Rights & Liberties
Presidential Executive Orders
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order aims to address and correct alleged misuse of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies by the previous administration to target political opponents and suppress constitutionally protected rights.
The Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence are instructed to review federal enforcement and intelligence activities from the past four years to identify misconduct or issues and recommend corrective actions.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order seeks to protect First Amendment rights by addressing past government actions that allegedly censored Americans’ speech on online platforms.
The order commits the U.S. government to securing the right to constitutionally protected speech; preventing government officers or resources from unconstitutionally abridging free speech; and correcting past government misconduct related to censorship.
The Attorney General, with input from agency heads, is instructed to investigate censorship-related activities from the past four years and recommend remedial actions.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order asserts that the previous administration implemented unpopular and harmful practices, including embedding "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) into Federal institutions, which it claims undermines merit and equality. It criticizes open border policies for straining resources and climate policies for driving inflation and overregulation. Relevant executive orders revoked include:
Executive Order 13985 of January 20, 2021 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government).
Executive Order 14019 of March 7, 2021 (Promoting Access to Voting).
Executive Order 14045 of September 13, 2021 (White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics).
Executive Order 14050 of October 19, 2021 (White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans).
Executive Order 14124 of July 17, 2024 (White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Hispanic-Serving Institutions).
The order mandates the immediate termination of Federal implementation of "unlawful and radical DEI ideology" by agency heads (SEE RELATED EXECUTIVE ORDER). It further directs the Directors of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and National Economic Council (NEC) to review actions taken under previous administration directives, recommending within 45 days which should be rescinded, replaced, or amended to "enhance American prosperity." Additionally, the National Security Advisor (NSA) must review all National Security Memoranda (NSMs) issued between January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2025, to identify any harm to national security, domestic resilience, or American values, and provide recommendations for rescission within the same timeframe.
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January 21, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This presidential action focuses on reinforcing federal civil-rights laws by eliminating race- and sex-based preferences, policies, and mandates associated with diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and accessibility (DEIA). It argues such initiatives violate civil-rights laws, undermine national unity, and prioritize identity over individual merit and hard work. The publication aims to:
Policy Changes in Federal Government:
Terminate all federal DEI/DEIA policies deemed discriminatory or illegal.
Revoke previous executive orders promoting diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce and related areas.
Reform federal contracting to emphasize compliance with anti-discrimination laws and prohibit workforce balancing based on identity.
SPECIFICALLY: Agency leadership is directed to include in every contract/grant award terms requiring recipients to certify that they do not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.
Private Sector Impact: This section directs federal agencies, with the Attorney General’s assistance, to promote policies emphasizing individual initiative, excellence, and hard work in the private sector.
The Attorney General must submit a report within 120 days outlining strategies to enforce civil-rights laws and eliminate illegal discrimination and preferences in DEI programs.
The report should include:
Key sectors of concern for each agency.
The most discriminatory DEI practitioners.
Steps to deter illegal DEI-related discrimination, including identifying up to nine potential investigations of large corporations, nonprofits, foundations, professional associations, and wealthy universities.
Strategies to encourage compliance with civil-rights laws.
Possible litigation for federal lawsuits or interventions.
Regulatory and policy guidance to address DEI-related discrimination.
Educational Guidance:
Provide guidelines to state/local educational agencies and higher education institutions to comply with recent Supreme Court rulings on admissions practices.
Exceptions:
Preferences for veterans and groups protected under specific laws remain lawful.
First Amendment protections and academic advocacy on these topics are preserved.
The order asserts a commitment to civil rights, individual merit, and equal opportunity while eliminating what it identifies as harmful identity-based practices in public and private sectors.
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January 29, 2025 (W.H. Link)- This executive order strengthens efforts to combat anti-Semitism, reaffirming Executive Order 13899 and directing federal agencies to take more aggressive action against rising incidents, particularly on college campuses following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. It mandates federal agencies to identify legal tools to curb anti-Semitism, review pending civil rights complaints, and assess enforcement actions against institutions failing to protect Jewish students. The Attorney General is encouraged to use civil rights laws to prosecute offenders, while the Department of Education must report on Title VI complaints related to anti-Semitism. Additionally, the Secretaries of State, Education, and Homeland Security are tasked with advising higher education institutions on monitoring and reporting foreign students and staff engaged in activities that may warrant legal action. This order underscores the administration’s commitment to ensuring the protection of Jewish students and strengthening enforcement mechanisms against anti-Semitic discrimination.
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February 6, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order establishes a federal policy to protect religious freedoms and end perceived government bias against Christians. It asserts that the previous administration engaged in discriminatory actions against Christian individuals and organizations while failing to address violence and vandalism against Christian institutions. Citing constitutional protections, federal laws like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the order claims that religious liberty has been undermined through selective prosecution and policies targeting Christian beliefs, particularly in the context of abortion protests, employment rights, and education regulations. The order highlights pardons issued to individuals convicted of pro-life demonstrations and criticizes past actions such as an FBI memorandum labeling certain Catholic groups as potential threats, as well as the declaration of Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday.
To address these concerns, the order creates a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias within the Department of Justice, chaired by the Attorney General and including key federal agencies. This task force is charged with identifying, revoking, and preventing policies deemed discriminatory against Christians, recommending enforcement actions to protect religious liberties, and investigating past government actions for potential misconduct. The task force is also tasked with issuing reports to the President on its findings and progress. The order mandates that agencies provide necessary information and support for these efforts and sets a two-year term for the task force, with the possibility of extension. It emphasizes compliance with existing laws and budgetary constraints while stating that the order does not create new legal rights or benefits.
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February 7, 2025 (W.H. Link) - This executive order reaffirms the Second Amendment as fundamental to American security and liberty, asserting that the right to bear arms must not be infringed. It directs the Attorney General to review all executive actions, regulations, and policies implemented from January 2021 through January 2025 that may have restricted Second Amendment rights. The review will cover rules from the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), enforcement policies affecting firearm regulations, classifications of firearms and ammunition, as well as positions taken in litigation involving gun rights.
Within 30 days, the Attorney General must present a plan to protect Second Amendment rights, which will be finalized and implemented in coordination with the Domestic Policy Advisor. The order mandates an assessment of firearm-related regulations and policies to ensure compliance with constitutional rights. It specifies that its provisions must be implemented within legal and budgetary constraints while clarifying that it does not create new legal rights. The order signals a broader federal effort to roll back perceived restrictions on gun ownership and strengthen protections for law-abiding firearm owners.