Newsmax: DOJ Opens Investigation After AIM Exposes DEI Practices at ASU
June 3, 2026
DOJ Opens Probe Into Arizona State DEI Programs
By Michael Katz | Wednesday, 03 June 2026 10:00 PM EDT
Arizona State University is under federal investigation over alleged diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, marking an escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against DEI programs in higher education.
The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the investigation by its Civil Rights Division, saying it was prompted by recent viral videos that it said showed Arizona State denying equal treatment to students based on race, color, or national origin while attempting to conceal discriminatory practices from federal scrutiny.
“No student should be denied access to opportunities or resources because of race, color, or national origin,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the division, said in a statement.
“The United States is committed to keeping universities free of unlawful discrimination, especially when they try to hide illegal conduct to avoid oversight and compliance.”
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders aimed at eliminating DEI practices at colleges and universities that receive federal funding or contracts.
The administration has directed federal agencies to pursue enforcement actions against programs it considers discriminatory under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including actions that could result in the loss of grants, contracts, or other federal funding.
Previous actions against more than 50 universities accused of maintaining discriminatory DEI-related programs were primarily led by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights.
The DOJ’s announcement comes months after Accuracy in Media, a conservative watchdog group, published the first in a series of secretly recorded videos of employees discussing DEI programs at the university.