Overview

• The General Services Administration (GSA) has instructed federal agencies to exclude the 'Prohibition of Segregated Facilities' clause from new contracts, following an executive order by President Trump.
• The clause, established during the Civil Rights Era, required federal contractors to maintain integrated workplaces and explicitly banned segregated facilities such as restrooms and waiting rooms.
• While segregation remains illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and state laws, critics argue the removal undermines anti-discrimination efforts and sends a troubling symbolic message.
• Civil rights organizations, including the ACLU, have condemned the change, warning it could weaken enforcement mechanisms and conflict with existing anti-discrimination laws.
• Supporters of the move claim the clause is redundant given existing laws, while federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security have already begun implementing the changes.