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Top Virginia cities in the hot seat as Trump-aligned group demands DOJ probe of DEI mandates
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FIRST ON FOX: A Trump-aligned legal group is ramping up its pressure campaign targeting big blue cities violating President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders and federal civil rights law by continuing to embed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into their practices.
America First Legal (AFL) sent three more civil rights complaints to the Department of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights this week requesting it investigate the Virginia cities of Richmond, Alexandria and Arlington for violating Title VI and Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as Trump’s Executive Orders on discriminatory DEI initiatives, via its city and county programs, hiring, and public services.
AFL argues the cities receive federal grant money and distribute it across their city governments in various departments and for multiple purposes, opening them up to federal scrutiny.
The civil rights complaint letters to the Justice Department follow the agency’s decision to launch an investigation into the city of Austin for similar DEI violations, which was followed by AFL’s first complaint letter to the Justice Department’s Office of Civil Rights earlier this month, asking the agency to investigate Seattle over its allegedly discriminatory DEI practices. AFL filed a complaint against Portland a few days later as well, alleging similar accusations.
TOP UNIVERSITY HIT WITH SCATHING FEDERAL COMPLAINT CALLING FOR PROBE INTO ‘UNSAFE’ AND ‘UNLAWFUL’ DEI AGENDA
Virginia police officers seen walking outside the state capitol building in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
«Despite these federal civil rights laws, these jurisdictions openly engage in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion («DEI») policies in their respective jurisdictions, ordering local departments to implement discriminatory ‘equity’ programs and directives,» an AFL press release states. «Race-based policies do not create justice—they destroy it. As Virginia lurches to the Left, America First Legal will continue leading the fight to ensure that federal funds never support programs that divide citizens, weaken public safety, or erode the rule of law.»
In AFL’s complaint, the legal watchdog accuses the City of Richmond of creating a «government-wide pattern or practice of discrimination» by embedding racial equity in every department. The complaint cites hiring materials embedded with discriminatory themes, mandatory DEI training, Richmond’s Equity Agenda, and the capital city’s establishment of an Office of Equity and Inclusion, which AFL claims to have an aim to empower «only certain people and communities wholly based on race,» rather than merit.
Richmond’s fiscal year budgets reportedly measured department performance by the percentage of employees completing «equity training,» with a stated goal of 100% participation. Meanwhile, AFL also cited Richmond’s «Climate Equity Action Plan» and «Racial Equity and Environmental Justice (REEJ) program,» which the group accuses of funneling resources to only certain racial groups.
CONSERVATIVE MOM SUED FOR CALLING DEI TEACHER ‘WOKE’ CELEBRATES AS DEFAMATION CASE TOSSED
The civil rights complaints against Alexandria and Arlington include similar allegations to those levied against Richmond.
The monument of confederate General A.P. Hill used to stand prominently at the intersection of Laburnum Avenue and Hermitage Road in Richmond, Virginia. However, following a lengthy battle, it was approved by a judge to be removed and was taken down in 2022. The statue is currently in storage at an undisclosed location. Hill’s remains, which were inside the statue, have been re-interred at Fairview Cemetery in Culpeper County, Virginia. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Alexandria’s Office of Race and Social Equity (RASE), AFL alleges, serves to embed «racial and social equity into all city policies, programs, decisions, and environments» and ensure city policies and programs «are discussed and evaluated through a racial and social justice lens.»
In particular, AFL calls out Alexandria’s Police Department’s development of a «Racial Equity Plan,» which the complaint claims has instructions for the police department «to make efforts in creating a diverse workforce» with the goal of «improv[ing] the demographic representation» through recruitment. A similar «strategic plan» from the city’s fire department reportedly pushes similar hiring preferences on its department as well, AFL alleges.
A police officer blocks an intersection in Alexandria, Virginia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Arlington, meanwhile, is accused of establishing an «Affirmative Action Plan,» which AFL says includes «underutilization goals» based on race for specific job groups. These goals include increasing minority representation in the «Senior Administrators» job group from 35.23% to 45%, and minority representation in «Police Officers» from 27.38% to 38%, according to AFL’s complaint.
To prove the real-life consequences of these cities’ policies, AFL’s complaint against Arlington pointed to an incident at a local public school from last year.
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A polling location in Arlington, Virginia. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«In September 2024, a male sex offender was permitted to use the girls’ locker room at Washington Liberty High School in Arlington County for months because he claimed to be transgender—a direct result of the County’s policy allowing individuals to use facilities based on their claimed ‘gender identity.’ The individual ultimately exposed his genitals to a 9-year-old girl,» AFL’s complaint to the Department of Justice chronicles. «This incident demonstrates how Arlington County’s race- and sex-conscious policies not only violate federal civil rights law but also compromise student safety.»
Last month, AFL reached a settlement with the City of Philadelphia that began in 2019 over alleged race- and sex-based quotas and «discriminatory» union-membership requirements in public contracting. Under the settlement, the City of Philadelphia agreed to rewrite its «Project Labor Agreements,» which AFL said penalized city contractors that refused to abide by its DEI mandates. Under the settlement, the city was compelled to make previous workforce diversity goals «strictly aspirational» and end «quotas or mandatory minimums.»
dei,virginia,justice department,public sector,state and local
El acuerdo comercial entre la Argentina y Estados Unidos anunciado este jueves por la Casa Blanca incluye 11 puntos clave que buscan “fortalecer y equilibrar la alianza económica” entre los países que lideran Javier Milei y Donald Trump.
El pacto era esperado desde hace semanas por el Gobierno y se concretó durante la visita a EE.UU. del canciller, Pablo Quirno. El entendimiento, según describió un comunicado difundido en Washington, “busca impulsar el crecimiento a largo plazo, ampliar las oportunidades y crear un entorno transparente y basado en normas para el comercio y la innovación“.
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El acuerdo incluye ítems sobre aranceles, eliminación de barreras no arancelarias, normas y evaluación de la conformidad, propiedad intelectual, acceso a los mercados agrícolas y trabajo. Además, abarca las áreas de seguridad económica, oportunidades comerciales, medio ambiente, comercio digital y oportunidades comerciales.
El comunicado señaló que “Estados Unidos y la Argentina trabajarán con celeridad para finalizar el texto del acuerdo para su firma y llevar a cabo sus respectivas formalidades internas antes de que entre en vigor”. “Los países revisarán la aplicación del acuerdo y continuarán una estrecha coordinación en materia de comercio e inversión a través del Acuerdo Marco de Comercio e Inversión y del Foro de Innovación y Creatividad para el Desarrollo Económico”, afirmó.
Los puntos del acuerdo comercial entre EE.UU. y la Argentina
El acuerdo comercial entre EE.UU. y la Argentina incluye 11 puntos:
- Aranceles: Ambos países abrirán sus mercados a productos clave. La Argentina otorgará acceso preferencial a los mercados estadounidenses para las exportaciones de bienes, incluidos ciertos medicamentos, productos químicos, maquinaria, productos de tecnología de la información, dispositivos médicos, vehículos automotores y una amplia gama de productos agrícolas. A su vez, Estados Unidos eliminará los aranceles recíprocos sobre ciertos recursos naturales no disponibles y artículos no patentados para uso farmacéutico. Ambos países se comprometieron a mejorar las condiciones de acceso bilateral y recíproco a los mercados de carne vacuna.
- Eliminación de barreras no arancelarias: La Argentina desmanteló numerosas barreras no arancelarias que restringían el acceso a su mercado, incluyendo las licencias de importación. Además, se comprometió a no exigir formalidades consulares para las exportaciones estadounidenses. Además. eliminará gradualmente el impuesto estadístico a los productos norteamericanos.
El presidente Donald Trump recibe al presidente de Argentina, Javier Milei, a su llegada a la Casa Blanca, el martes 14 de octubre de 2025, en Washington. (AP Foto/Mark Schiefelbein)
- Normas y evaluación de la conformidad: La Argentina permitirá el ingreso de productos estadounidenses que cumplan con las normas estadounidenses o internacionales aplicables, las regulaciones técnicas estadounidenses o los procedimientos de evaluación de la conformidad estadounidenses o internacionales, sin requisitos adicionales de evaluación de la conformidad. Además, continuará eliminando las barreras no arancelarias que afectan el comercio en áreas prioritarias. También aceptará la importación de vehículos fabricados en Estados Unidos que cumplan con las Normas Federales de Seguridad de Vehículos Automotores y las normas de emisiones estadounidenses, y aceptará los certificados de la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de Estados Unidos (FDA) y las autorizaciones previas de comercialización para dispositivos médicos y productos farmacéuticos.
- Propiedad intelectual: La Argentina reforzará la aplicación de la ley contra la falsificación y la piratería, incluso en el entorno digital. Asimismo, se comprometió a abordar desafíos estructurales como los de patentabilidad, el retraso en la tramitación de patentes y las indicaciones geográficas, así como a trabajar para armonizar su régimen de propiedad intelectual con las normas internacionales.
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- Acceso a los mercados agrícolas: La Argentina abrió su mercado al ganado bovino vivo estadounidense y se comprometió a permitir el acceso al mercado de las aves de corral estadounidenses en el plazo de un año. Además, acordó no restringir el acceso al mercado de los productos que utilizan ciertas denominaciones para quesos y carnes. Argentina simplificará los procesos de registro de productos para la carne de res, los productos cárnicos, las vísceras y los productos porcinos estadounidenses, y no exigirá el registro de instalaciones para las importaciones de productos lácteos estadounidenses. Estados Unidos y Argentina tienen la intención de colaborar para abordar las barreras no arancelarias que afectan al comercio de alimentos y productos agrícolas.
- Trabajo: La Argentina reafirmó su compromiso con la protección de los derechos laborales reconocidos internacionalmente. Además, adoptará e implementará una prohibición a la importación de bienes producidos mediante trabajo forzoso u obligatorio y reforzará la aplicación de la legislación laboral.
- Medio ambiente: La Argentina se comprometió a adoptar medidas para combatir aún más la tala ilegal; fomentar una economía más eficiente en el uso de los recursos, incluso en el sector de los minerales críticos; y aplicar plenamente las obligaciones del Acuerdo de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) sobre Subvenciones a la Pesca.
- Alineación en materia de seguridad económica: La Argentina intensificará la cooperación con Estados Unidos para combatir las políticas y prácticas no mercantiles de otros países. Ambos países también se comprometieron a identificar instrumentos para armonizar sus enfoques en materia de control de exportaciones, seguridad de las inversiones, evasión arancelaria y otros temas importantes.
Donald Trump habla en la Casa Blanca (Foto de archivo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
- Consideraciones y oportunidades comerciales: La Argentina y Estados Unidos cooperarán para facilitar la inversión y el comercio de minerales críticos. Ambos países también acordaron trabajar para estabilizar el comercio mundial de soja.
- Empresas estatales y subvenciones: Argentina se comprometió a abordar las posibles acciones distorsionadoras de las empresas estatales y las subvenciones industriales que puedan tener un impacto en la relación comercial bilateral.
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- Comercio digital: La Argentina se comprometió a facilitar el comercio digital con Estados Unidos reconociendo a este último como jurisdicción adecuada, conforme a la legislación argentina, para la transferencia transfronteriza de datos, incluidos los datos personales. Además, se abstendrá de discriminar a los servicios o productos digitales estadounidenses. Argentina también se propone reconocer como válidas, según su legislación, las firmas electrónicas que sean válidas conforme a la legislación estadounidense.
El comunicado oficial de la Casa Blanca señaló que el resultado de este acuerdo “refleja la ambición y los valores compartidos por ambos países, y se basa en las medidas que Argentina ya ha adoptado para modernizar su régimen de comercio e inversión y fomentar condiciones recíprocas”.
comercio, Estados Unidos
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Observers stunned as Nikki Haley takes harder line than Trump on Chinese student visa plan
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Former Trump U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley warned Thursday that President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States would be a «massive mistake.»
«That would be a huge gift to China and a threat to the United States,» Haley wrote on X.
Haley’s criticism surprised many conservatives who said they did not expect her to take a harder line than Trump on China and immigration.
«I did not have Nikki Haley being to Trump’s right on immigration issues on my 2025 bingo card,» wrote X user S.A. McCarthy, an editor at The American Spectator magazine.
TRUMP’S CHINESE STUDENT VISA PUSH SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AMID RISING CCP ‘INFLUENCE’ IN US
Former Trump U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley warned Nov. 13, 2025, that President Donald Trump’s plan to allow 600,000 Chinese students to study in the United States would be a «massive mistake.» (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)
«I rarely agree with Nikki Haley. I think she is far too much of a throwback to failed George W. Bush era thinking,» wrote conservative analyst Greg Lawson. «BUT, on this specific issue, she is right.»
Others questioned the economic logic behind the policy.
«America has a shortage of workers in tech and we are training foreign nationals?» one user asked.
«Holy s—! I haven’t agreed with anything Nikki Haley has said in I don’t remember when,» wrote another. «It is insane for the Trump administration to allow 600K foreigners into American colleges — not because they are Chinese, but because the cost of college is already too high. Reduce demand = reduce costs.»
«When Nikki Haley is to the right of you, you’re making a big mistake,» another user quipped.
«Ladies and gentlemen, Trump is now to the left of Nikki Haley,» added another.
Trump first floated the 600,000 figure in August, alarming critics who have long warned about Chinese espionage at U.S. universities. More than 277,000 Chinese students studied in the U.S. during the 2023–2024 academic year, according to federal data.
The White House later clarified that the 600,000 figure referred to two years’ worth of visas, meaning the proposal represented a continuation of current policy rather than a doubling of admissions.
President Donald Trump first floated the 600,000 figure in August, alarming critics who have long warned about Chinese espionage in U.S. universities. (Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press)
REP. GREENE RAISES RED FLAG AFTER TRUMP INDICATES US WILL ACCEPT 600,000 CHINESE STUDENTS
Trump defended the plan Monday on Fox News.
«We do have a lot of people coming in from China. We always have — China and other countries,» he said. «We also have a massive system of colleges and universities. And if we were to cut that in half, which perhaps makes some people happy, you would have half the colleges in the United States go out of business.
«I actually think it’s good to have outside countries. Look, I want to be able to get along with the world — not the French, though.»
Fox News host Laura Ingraham pushed back. «The Chinese, they spy on us, they steal our intellectual property,» she said.
«Do you think the French are better?» Trump replied.
«We do have a lot of people coming in from China. We always have — China and other countries,» President Donald Trump said. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
«Yeah,» Ingraham shot back.
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«I’m not so sure,» Trump said, citing French tariffs. «It’s not that I want them, but I view it as a business. One thing you don’t want to do is cut half the students from all over the world who are coming into our country and destroy our entire university system. I don’t want to do that.»
China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law requires all citizens and organizations to assist the Chinese Communist Party’s intelligence efforts in the name of national security, a key concern among U.S. lawmakers warning that Chinese students and researchers can be pressured to steal sensitive data on behalf of Beijing.
china,college,education,campus controversy,nikki haley
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African Union chief denies genocide claims against Christians as Cruz warns Nigerian officials
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Nigeria’s worsening crisis is under renewed international scrutiny after a top African Union official rejected claims of Christian genocide — a statement that drew sharp reaction from Washington.
The dispute comes amid a yearslong wave of killings, abductions and village attacks in northern and central Nigeria that Christian communities say have reached crisis levels.
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SURGE IN CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION CRISIS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
At least 51 Christians were killed in another attack in Nigeria’s Plateau state. (Reuters)
Asked by a reporter about President Donald Trump’s recent threats to Nigeria over the persecution of Christians, the African Union Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf dismissed the genocide allegations, telling reporters at the United Nations, «Let me say this first — there is no genocide in northern Nigeria.» Youssouf continued, from the U.N. headquarters podium, «We have issued a communication making clear that what’s going on in the northern part of Nigeria has nothing to do with the kind of atrocities we see in Sudan or in some parts of eastern DRC.»
He continued, «The first victims of Boko Haram are Muslims, not Christians, and I’m saying this with documented references.» Youssouf said the situation is «extremely complex,» warning international actors not to reduce it to a single narrative. «The complexity of the situation in northern Nigeria should not be taken lightly, nor described with overly simple language,» he said, stressing again, «There is no genocide in northern Nigeria.»
‘GENOCIDE CAN’T BE IGNORED’: GOP LAWMAKER BACKS TRUMP’S THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION IN NIGERIA
Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria. (Christian Solidarity International)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., warned about a PR campaign being waged by the Abuja government to fight the accusations.
«Nigerian officials know their policies have created an environment in which Christians are being persecuted and slaughtered, including their enforcement of sharia law and their tolerance of Islamist violence. Instead of reversing these policies, they are waging a media campaign to escape exposure and accountability. I intend to prevent them from doing so.»
Sen. Ted Cruz listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing March 23, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)
The White House also responded in starkly different terms. A senior official told Fox News Digital: «As the president stated, if the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may take action to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.» The official added that President Trump has designated Nigeria a «country of particular concern» and ordered the Department of War to prepare for possible action.
Women and children who were held captive by islamic extremists, and rescued by the Nigerian army, are seen upon arrival in Maiduguri, Nigeria, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jossy Olatunji)
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On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers are pressing for even stronger measures. Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said the United States could take a range of actions — including sanctions and «even kinetic military action» — in response to what he called the «genocide» of Christians in Nigeria. Trump designated Moore, a member of the Appropriations Committee, along with Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., to lead an investigation into the killing of Christians by Islamist militants in the African nation.
On Wednesday, Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, addressed the issue in response to a question by Fox News Digital at the daily press briefing about persecution of Christians in Nigeria — and whether the secretary-general supports President Trump’s warning that Nigeria must act or face consequences. Dujarric, said, «We believe that the Nigerian government has been struggling with an insurgency that has been killing people, whether Muslims, Christians or others, and I think whatever assistance is needed should be done with the cooperation of the Nigerian authorities.»
africa,world,united nations,islam,donald trump,christianity religion
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