Trump Administration Must Uphold Protections Against Discrimination

January 3, 2019

For Immediate Release
Contact: Shin Inouye, 202.869.0398, [email protected]

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on reports that the Trump administration is seeking to roll back disparate impact regulations that provide anti-discrimination protections to people of color, women, and others:

“Disparate impact theory, the recognition that unlawful discrimination can be identified through a policy’s unjustified effect, has been repeatedly validated by the courts and is crucial to ensuring equal opportunity in our country. Allowing bias to stand because its signs are hidden only serves to reinforce inequality and discrimination and has no place in this century. Once again, the Trump administration seeks to turn back the clock, disregard the law, and perpetuate discrimination. This reckless notion cannot be allowed to move forward.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.