Four US medical schools and hospitals have been asked to work with the Attorney General to identify “nine potential civil compliance investigations” of institutions with endowments over $1 billion. The move comes as part of a strategic enforcement plan.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (Section 1557).

OCR said the investigations are in accordance with the just-signed executive order issued by President Trump entitled Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, which directs federal agencies to enforce long-standing civil rights laws and “to combat illegal private sector diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.” 

HHS did not name the schools when announcing the probes, but in February, OCR announced the initiation of compliance reviews for four medical schools following reports of antisemitic incidents during their 2024 commencement ceremonies.

The WSJ referred to sources, though, who said the probes involve medical schools at Harvard University, Columbia University, Brown University and Johns Hopkins University.

Discrimination

OCR said its investigations are “in response to allegations and information the department received that certain medical schools and hospitals that receive HHS funding may operate medical education, training, or scholarship programs for current or prospective workforce members that discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex.” 

“Today’s actions restore merit-based opportunities in medicine and signify that hard-working health care professionals and high-achieving students in the pipeline for medical and nursing fields should not be demeaned at work, or excluded from professional or scholarship opportunities, because of their race or sex,” said Anthony Archeval, Acting Director of OCR.

Diversity and inclusion

Under the executive order, each agency, in coordination with the Attorney General, is required to identify “nine potential civil compliance investigations” of corporations, associations, foundations, and institutions of higher education with endowments over $1 billion as part of a strategic enforcement plan.

The executive order revokes several prior orders issued by presidents that were designed to promote diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce. And it excises references to DEI principles, under whatever name they may appear, from federal acquisition, contracting, grants, and financial assistance procedures, and forbids certain wording, such as “diversity,” “equity,” and “equitable decision-making.”

E.O. 14173 should be read in conjunction with President Trump’s executive order – signed on Inauguration Day – that eliminates all “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” programs throughout the federal government. That termination includes “Chief Diversity Officers,” “Equity Action Plans,” “environmental justice” offices, equity-related grants/contracts, as well as DEI performance requirements.