Blue state AGs urge McMahon to keep DEI grant funding

18 Democratic Attorneys General sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging continued federal funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, despite recent policy changes under President Trump’s administration.

The coalition submitted the letter on Friday to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The group argue that eliminating DEI funding would worsen disparities in educational opportunity and put schools at risk of violating federal law.

[RELATED: Williams College declines federal grants over DEI ban]

”When schools embed the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within their organizational culture, they reduce biases, boost student and teacher morale, foster collaboration, and remove barriers to opportunities for all students,” the letter explains.

The AGs even argue that DEI is different than affirmative action, which the Supreme Court deemed to be unconstitutional in college admissions during 2023.

”[D]iversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives do not involve providing preferences to individuals based on race when making zero-sum decisions,” they state.

The letter responds to Secretary McMahon’s Proposed Priorities released on May 20, which aim to replace Biden-era DEI priorities. The new draft proposal excludes DEI-specific metrics and instead focuses on academic outcomes and fiscal transparency in grant programs.

The document further argues that schools need federal backing for DEI to comply with laws like Title VI and Title IX, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race and sex, respectively. Without that support, they warn, institutions could face legal exposure.

The coalition includes the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington, D.C.

[RELATED: Millions of students dropped out as higher ed shifted focus from degrees to DEI]

Since taking office in January, Secretary McMahon has taken steps to dismantle Biden-era education policies promoting Critical Race Theory (CRT), gender ideology, and DEI programming in both K-12 and higher education. Her proposed changes mark a shift toward academic achievement metrics, institutional accountability, and viewpoint-neutral practices.

The Biden administration’s original grant priorities—enacted in 2021—heavily emphasized racial equity, anti-racism, and social justice goals. Critics argue these measures advanced left-wing ideology at taxpayer expense and violated the principle of equal treatment under the law.

Campus Reform has reached out to Attorney General Anthony Brown and the Department of Education for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.