Trump DOJ Revises Affirmative Action Lawsuit Against Minnesota, Narrows to Declaratory Challenge

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 2, 2026

The Justice Department has asked a federal court for leave to amend its Title VII lawsuit against Minnesota's state civil service affirmative action hiring policy, scaling back from broader dismantlement to a narrower declaratory judgment and permanent injunction. The revised complaint targets Minnesota's race- and sex-based hiring practices and signals the DOJ is pursuing similar investigations in other states. Led by Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon, the department framed the rewrite as streamlining the case rather than retreating. Staffing firms and employers operating in states with affirmative action hiring policies should monitor this litigation, as a successful injunction could reshape public-sector hiring compliance requirements.