WASHINGTON – The US announced on May 19 the formation of a new unit that will crack down on federally funded universities that have diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies using a civil anti-fraud law.
The creation of the “Civil Rights Fraud Initiative” marks the latest escalation by the administration of US President Donald Trump against colleges and universities that it has claimed are pushing anti-Semitic, anti-American, Marxist and “radical left” ideologies.
“A university that accepts federal funds could violate the False Claims Act when it encourages anti-Semitism, refuses to protect Jewish students, allows men to intrude into women’s bathrooms or requires women to compete against men in athletic competitions,” Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche wrote in the memo.
“Colleges and universities cannot accept federal funds while discriminating against their students.”
The False Claims Act is a federal civil law that allows the government to recover funds lost due to fraud. Private citizens can also use it to sue on the government’s behalf and can become eligible to receive a portion of the recovered proceeds.
Last week, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration launched a False Claims Act inquiry into whether Harvard’s admission policies comply with a Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action.
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