From Progress to Regression: The Dangerous Rollback of Civil Rights Protections
Donald Trump's new executive order eliminates substantial civil rights protections which reverse many years of advancements that had been established to ensure equality and opportunities for every American citizen. Through a facade of “restoring merit,” Trump removed protective measures which ensured minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and low-income communities received protection against discrimination.
What was rolled back?
Executive Order 11246, first issued by Lyndon Johnson, which prohibited discrimination and required affirmative action by federal contractors.
Obama-era protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for federal workers and contractors.
Agency diversity plans, required since 2011, that promoted inclusive hiring and retention across the federal workforce.
Clinton’s environmental justice order, which required agencies to consider the health and environmental impacts on marginalized communities.
Obama’s directive to increase diversity in national security roles — gone.
Even Nixon’s order prohibiting discrimination in federal hiring was stripped of key amendments.
To be clear: these rollbacks do not — and cannot — override the Equal Employment Opportunity Act or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, and more remains illegal under federal law. But that’s exactly what makes this so dangerous.
This is about more than legality — it’s about intention. These executive orders were enforcement tools. They pushed agencies and contractors to actively work toward equity, inclusion, and accountability. Removing them weakens oversight, silences DEI efforts, and tells marginalized communities they’re no longer a priority.
The result? Less oversight. Fewer opportunities. The very programs which had worked to create equal opportunities experienced a chilling effect.
This policy change represents a fundamental betrayal of the civil rights legacy established by generations who fought for equal legal treatment. We must resist normalizing these rollbacks because justice requires our continued opposition. We must call them what they are: a calculated, dangerous step backward.
