Justice Department Sues Minnesota Over Race- and Sex-Based Affirmative Action Hiring Policies

The DOJ sued Minnesota, saying state-required race- and sex-based affirmative-action hiring goals unlawfully discriminate against non-preferred applicants, challenging state personnel practices under federal Title VII.

Overview

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1.

On Wednesday the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit in federal court accusing Minnesota of unlawfully using race and sex-based affirmative-action hiring requirements across executive agencies.

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The complaint targets Minnesota’s directives to set numerical race and sex hiring goals, track underutilization, require prehire justification forms, and DHS sign-offs and interview mandates for underrepresented candidates.

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DOJ asserts such race- and sex-conscious policies violate federal Title VII, invoking recent Supreme Court rulings including the 2023 Students for Fair Admissions decision.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen framed the suit as enforcing civil-rights law and curbing DEI policies, linking it to broader state governance concerns.

5.

The lawsuit arrives amid federal scrutiny of Minnesota after fraud probes and a controversial Minneapolis ICE officer shooting, intensifying attention on state employment and accountability policies.

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The DOJ challenges Minnesota's directives to set numerical race and sex hiring goals, track underutilization, require prehire justification forms for non-underrepresented candidates, and DHS sign-offs and interview mandates for underrepresented candidates.

The DOJ claims Minnesota's policies violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

The DOJ invokes the 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision, which ruled that colleges cannot consider race in admissions, arguing it extends to employment affirmative action.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen are framing the suit, with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon leading the Civil Rights Division.

The lawsuit follows probes into state fraud, a controversial ICE officer shooting in Minneapolis, sanctuary city policies, immigration crackdowns, and frozen federal funds.

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