WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department's civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants, according to a document obtained by The New York Times.



The document, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, seeks current lawyers interested in working for a new project on "investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions."

The announcement suggests that the project will be run out of the division's front office, where the Trump administration's political appointees work, rather than its Educational Opportunities Section, which is run by career civil servants and normally handles work involving schools and universities.



The document does not explicitly identify whom the Justice Department considers at risk of discrimination because of affirmative action admissions policies. But the phrasing it uses, "intentional race-based discrimination," cuts to the heart of programs designed to bring more minority students to university campuses.

The world is coming to an end — Lovest Diomande (@lovestdiomande) August 2, 2017

Every single day it's another deplorable action, thought, or idea out of this abomination of an administration. I'm exhausted. — Julie K (@ProfJulie616) August 2, 2017

I want lightning to strike everyone in this regime — andrea Kline (@andreathekline) August 2, 2017

Discrimination works both ways...at least someone recognizes that. — Jimmy (@Pula7211) August 2, 2017

Someone also recognizes that one begat the other -- but only after one benefitted from it for decades while the other had to fight it. — Terrence Moss-Malek (@the79show) August 2, 2017

After discriminating against LGBTs, Muslims & immigrants, Trump wants DOJ civil rights lawyers to protect whites. https://t.co/6xikC7PLAR — Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) August 2, 2017

Remember that the majority of Trump voters think discrimination against white people is more prevalent than against black folks. — Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) August 2, 2017

I'm a civil rights lawyer. Every day my team fights real civil rights battles for women, people of color, LGBT folks. Whites? Please. — Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) August 2, 2017

Trump is exactly the white supremacist he showed himself to be during the campaign. Now our tax dollars will defend white rights. Hideous. — Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) August 2, 2017

White people's tax dollars to defend White people's constitutional right to attend Universities started by White people? Ridiculous. — jc gates (@JcJefcarl73) August 2, 2017