On May 19, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memorandum, Deputy Attorney General Blanche Memo: Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, announcing an initiative to “utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws.”
For many years, the government has required contractors and grant recipients to make representations regarding compliance with various federal civil rights laws. Historically, numerous agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), have shared the responsibility for monitoring compliance. The Trump administration’s announcement that it will use the FCA to enforce compliance with civil rights laws is, however, largely unprecedented. Similarly, the administration’s focus on “illegal DEI” as a primary threat to American’s civil rights also represents a significant departure from the past practices of prior administrations, including the first Trump administration. When combined with continuing uncertainty as to what constitutes illegal DEI, the Justice Department’s new memo leaves many questions unanswered.
...SALEM, Mass. — A Haverhill teacher was arraigned in court on Friday on multiple charges, including stolen valor, false credentials and reckless endangerment of a child. Lissa Lagasse, 57, of Lowel...