Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are experiencing significant shifts, highlighted by a recent legal victory for Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT). On March 27, a judge granted CWIT a temporary restraining order, blocking certain provisions of former President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders.
This ruling came after CWIT filed a lawsuit in February, challenging the potential impact of these executive orders on its funding and operations. CWIT, a nonprofit focused on increasing the representation of women in the trades, specifically Black and Latina women, argued that the executive orders threatened its ability to continue its work.
CWIT Files Lawsuit Against Trump’s Executive Orders, Citing Risk to Funding and Mission
The lawsuit, filed on February 26, named several high-ranking officials and government bodies, including Trump, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and Attorney General Pam Bondi, among others.
The central issue revolved around funding, as CWIT claimed the executive orders, signed by Trump on January 20 and 21, did not adequately define what constituted illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. CWIT argued that the orders would risk their funding, which is crucial for supporting their programs aimed at increasing the number of women of color in trade industries.
CWIT Wins Temporary Block on Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders as Fight for Program Funding ContinuesCWIT’s complaint stressed that the anti-DEI executive orders posed a significant risk to its mission by categorizing many diversity and inclusion efforts as violations of federal anti-discrimination laws without offering clarity. The organization argued that the orders could undermine efforts to promote gender and racial equity in the trades, and if they were enforced, they could result in devastating consequences for both CWIT and the broader workforce development sector.
Judge Grants Temporary Restraining Order, Protecting CWIT’s Funding and Programs for 28 Days
The judge’s ruling favored CWIT, granting a temporary restraining order that effectively blocks the Department of Labor from canceling or pausing any of CWIT’s grants for the next 28 days.
The judge also determined that CWIT had shown that it would likely succeed on its First Amendment claims and had demonstrated that the harm to its organization would be irreparable if the executive orders were enforced. The ruling allows CWIT to continue its programs and receive necessary funding, thus preventing immediate damage to its operations and the broader diversity goals it promotes in the trades.
While the temporary restraining order is a win, CWIT’s legal team is focused on obtaining a more permanent resolution. Sabrina Talukder, senior counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, emphasized that the nonprofit’s work is essential in creating a “level playing field” in the trades.
Despite the temporary victory, CWIT remains at risk of being targeted by the government, and its legal team aims to secure a permanent injunction to protect its operations and ensure that it can continue its mission to advance gender and racial equity in skilled trades.