In particular, the complaint criticizes Johns Hopkins’ use of race-conscious frameworks in its pipeline programs and recruitment efforts. It also takes aim at scholarship opportunities and mentorship programs the group claims are unlawfully limited to certain racial or ethnic groups. Even socioeconomic-based initiatives, like scholarships for students from families earning less than $300,000 annually, were flagged as proxies for racial preferences—a practice America First Legal argues is a form of “unlawful workaround” following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision that ended affirmative action in higher education.
The group is calling for a comprehensive federal investigation, an audit of federal funds received by Johns Hopkins, and potential withdrawal of government grants if any DEI policies are found to violate the law. Notably, Johns Hopkins receives hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal research funding and operates one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country.
“Johns Hopkins appears to be operating in open defiance of the law,” said Stephen Miller in a statement. “This type of systemic discrimination—whether cloaked in DEI rhetoric or otherwise—has no place in any institution receiving taxpayer funds.”
The legal action adds fuel to an already heated national debate over the future of DEI in academia. Conservative groups, empowered by recent legal wins and political support, have intensified their scrutiny of elite universities. The DOJ has already taken similar steps against schools like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Virginia for allegedly engaging in race-based preferences or suppressing free speech in the name of inclusion.
Johns Hopkins has not yet issued a detailed public response to the complaint, though it has defended its diversity policies in past statements as essential to fostering a medical workforce equipped to serve diverse populations. Supporters argue that DEI efforts help correct longstanding disparities in education, healthcare, and opportunity.
