Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says DEI is actually rooted in the Constitution —here’s where to find it (Watch)
The House minority leader vowed that Democrats would take on the attacks on DEI "head-on" along with civil rights groups.
Though President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has seemingly gutted racial equity for the foreseeable future throughout the federal government (with a snowball effect in the private sector), Democrats continue to push back.
Party members have vowed to keep fighting for critical programs that Black and brown communities rely on and, more importantly, to call for the enforcement of the law that still prohibits discrimination.
“No president in the United States of America can change the constitution or change law — like the 1964 Civil Rights Act … through executive action or executive order,” said House of Representatives Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said on Thursday during his weekly press conference. He vowed that Democrats would take the attacks on DEI “head-on” along with civil rights groups.
Jeffries, the first Black American to serve as leader of any national party in Congress, said he expects there to be “an avalanche of righteous litigation” to combat Trump’s anti-DEI policies and some of his other executive orders. He also explained how America and its constitution are founded on the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“The motto of the United States of America is E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. That’s diversity,” said Jeffries.
Jeffries continued, “The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, one of the most important amendments in our country, provides equal protection under the law. That’s equity.” He added, “In this country, we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America … and in that pledge, we promise one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for All … that’s inclusion.”
The minority leader said diversity, equity, and inclusion are “American values,” adding, “It’s about economic opportunity. It’s about merit for everyone, based on what you know, not who you know.”
On day one of his administration, President Trump signed an executive order reversing President Joe Biden’s order to advance racial equity throughout every federal agency through actions like data collection and implementation of programs to address racial disparities in employment, health, housing, and more. Trump later signed another order rescinding enforcement of anti-discrimination laws under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“He doesn’t think that the best and the brightest include a large swath of people who don’t look like him, who don’t come from where he comes from, who don’t go to the same schools, who don’t go to the same social clubs that he goes to,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne told theGrio.
He continued, “If you’re opposed to the things that they are claiming that they’re opposed to, what you’re essentially saying is the idea that folks who come from non-traditional backgrounds can’t possibly be qualified to do the things that people who come from traditional backgrounds are qualified to do.”
Payne said he doesn’t believe a majority of voters elected Trump to declare war on DEI but instead for “common sense and cheaper eggs.” He said it’s imperative that Democrats take back control of the narrative and “put that message in front of voters” in the next election cycles. That begins this year, when there will be crucial governor races in Virginia and New Jersey. The outcome of those elections could signal where the public stands with either Republicans or Democrats.
In the meantime, Payne also encouraged Democrats in Congress to work with President Trump and Republicans where they can to do meaningful work for the American public.
“If there’s an idea out there, that’s a good idea that has, you know, broad support, I think Democrats shouldn’t be afraid of supporting it,” he told theGrio. “Jeffries has been wise on this — what I’ve heard him say — which is in the places where Donald Trump wants to work together on common sense things.”
However, Payne said, “What we’re seeing from Donald Trump … he is not actually delivering on what he was sent to Washington to do.” He continued, “People wanted him to address an issue like immigration. They did not want him to turn communities, and neighborhoods and people against each other. Yes, people wanted him to do something about the economy. They did not send him to Washington to rename landmarks that no one was asking to be renamed.”
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