DOJ Civil Rights Chief Resigns: Harmeet Dhillon Steps Down After Midterm Shift

Harmeet Dhillon resigned from her position as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division on Thursday, ending an 18-month tenure marked by internal turnover and shifting enforcement priorities. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the departure in a post on X, describing Dhillon’s service as conviction-driven. He stated that the department was grateful for her work in defending civil liberties and enforcing the law.

The resignation follows the midterm elections, where Democratic candidates won control of both chambers of Congress. Dhillon is the first high-ranking Justice Department official to leave office since that shift in power. Lawmakers in the new majority are expected to increase scrutiny of executive agencies, including the Justice Department. Bloomberg Law first reported the move before the official announcement.

During her time in charge, Dhillon altered the division’s traditional focus on protecting the civil rights of racial minorities. The office dropped numerous cases involving discrimination in voting, housing, employment, and education. At the same time, the division increased its pursuit of claims at universities, including allegations that minority applicants received favorable treatment in admissions and that Jewish students faced antisemitism. A whistleblower claimed that these university investigations were conducted with a predetermined outcome and that lawyers were instructed to find reasons to file lawsuits.

The division’s record included investigations into the killings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal agents in Minnesota during an immigration enforcement surge. Neither case resulted in criminal charges. Additionally, the division sued more than two dozen states to obtain voter roll information. It lost every one of those cases, with several judges who ruled against the department having been appointed by President Donald Trump.

Personnel changes accompanied the strategic shifts. Scores of career lawyers left the division, creating a loss of enforcement expertise. Stacey Young, a former division lawyer and current leader of Justice Connection, criticized Dhillon’s leadership. Young called Dhillon the most destructive head of the division in history and noted that more than three-quarters of the division’s lawyers departed. Young argued that civil servants dedicated to protecting vulnerable communities were instead told to target them.

Dhillon’s public conduct also drew attention. She frequently posted about ongoing investigations on X, a practice that surprised senior lawyers accustomed to the department’s silence on open cases. She also used a slur for people with disabilities and described conservative influencers as hoes. Born in India, Dhillon grew up in Smithfield, North Carolina. She previously ran a law firm, served as vice-chair of the California GOP, and worked on lawsuits contesting the 2020 election results.