Federal workers were given 10 days to report on attempts to ‘disguise’ D.E.I. programs.

The Trump administration issued a stern warning on Wednesday, cautioning federal employees about facing “adverse consequences” if they fail to report colleagues who resist efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in their agencies.

Tens of thousands of federal workers were reminded that attempts to conceal these programs using ambiguous or coded language would not be tolerated. Emails, based on a template from the Office of Personnel Management, instructed employees to report any such activity within 10 days to a designated email account, assuring them that doing so would not lead to disciplinary actions.

“There will be no negative repercussions for promptly reporting this information,” the template stated. “However, failing to report within the specified 10 days may result in adverse consequences.”

The message also claimed, “These programs have divided Americans by race, squandered taxpayer dollars, and caused disgraceful discrimination.”https://svtoday.org/

Some federal departments, such as the Education Department and the State Department, sent the template directly to their employees. Others made slight modifications. For instance, the Department of Homeland Security explicitly warned that noncompliance “will result” in consequences.

These warnings marked a significant intensification of President Trump’s campaign against DEI initiatives, which he argued were part of a larger bureaucratic problem within the federal government. Trump has repeatedly pledged to streamline federal agencies, ordering remote workers back to offices and advocating for the elimination of certain departments. During his Inaugural Address, he promised to stop what he described as efforts to “socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” vowing to create a “colorblind and merit-based” society.

On Tuesday night, the administration issued a memorandum directing agencies to place DEI office employees on administrative leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday, effectively initiating the closure of these offices. Agencies were given until January 31 to develop plans for laying off staff in these departments, which also address accessibility concerns for individuals with disabilities.

The directive’s impact was immediate. By Wednesday morning, stop-work orders were issued across agencies. A contractor at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who requested anonymity, was instructed to halt a demographic data project, which had been documenting race, gender, and veteran status for years. Results from a DEI survey conducted last year, originally scheduled for release next month, were also canceled.

Similarly, a livestream event planned by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy was canceled. The event, scheduled for January 29, had included a reading of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and discussions about his contributions.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, criticized the administration’s actions as a pretext for firing civil servants. “The federal government already hires and promotes based solely on merit,” he said.

Dariely Rodriguez, acting co-chief counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, argued that the orders misunderstood the purpose of DEI initiatives, emphasizing that they aim to remove barriers rather than grant preferential treatment. She also reminded that civil rights laws still apply to federal agencies.

Recent actions by the Trump administration included revoking an executive order from Lyndon B. Johnson’s era that banned discriminatory hiring practices in federal contracting. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration was instructed to end DEI-related hiring practices, with claims—unsupported by evidence—that such policies jeopardized passenger safety.

While conservative groups like the Asian American Coalition for Education praised the move as a step toward a “colorblind society,” federal employees described the new policies as creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust. Some likened the directive to a totalitarian system, feeling compelled to inform on their colleagues.

Certain agencies moved quickly to comply. The CIA announced the dissolution of its diversity office, stating that its employees were now “focused solely on the intelligence mission.” Under previous leadership, the office had provided training on fostering inclusive environments and improving recruitment.

Elsewhere, uncertainty lingered. At the Environmental Protection Agency, which houses an Office for Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, employees were unsure about their job security. Matthew Tejada, a former deputy assistant administrator, noted that many EPA workers are motivated by a commitment to public health and environmental protection rather than the desire for a government job.

“These people didn’t sign up for this because it’s easy,” he said. “They do it because they care deeply about their mission.”