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Trump Administration Removes Federal Ban on Segregated Facilities in Contracts

A General Services Administration memo eliminates a key clause enforcing workplace integration, raising concerns from civil rights advocates about its symbolic and legal implications.

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U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he returns to the White House after attending a board meeting at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
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Overview

  • The General Services Administration (GSA) has instructed federal agencies to exclude the 'Prohibition of Segregated Facilities' clause from new contracts, following a Trump executive order.
  • This change stems from an order titled 'Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,' which rescinded Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 nondiscrimination directive.
  • While segregation remains illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and state laws, critics argue the removal of the clause weakens enforcement and sends a troubling message.
  • Civil rights organizations, including the ACLU and CAIR, have condemned the move as undermining decades of progress toward workplace integration and equity.
  • Legal experts warn of potential conflicts between the new directive and existing anti-discrimination laws, with federal agencies like DHS and NIH already implementing the changes.