
In a return to office, President Donald Trump wasted little time to use the power of the presidency in efforts that directly impact the most marginalized communities. Shortly after the inauguration, Trump issued a series of executive orders that on the surface may not openly invoke the tenets of white supremacy (a belief in and system of white racial superiority), but the resulting impacts are deeply rooted in white supremacist ideologies.
The administration positioned these efforts as ways to promote fairness and security, but they promote the opposite—dangerous unfairness. Following a campaign that claimed to focus on lowering the price of eggs, the only thing lowered is the access to freedom and equal rights.
Black and brown communities will be most impacted—from dismantling federal equity programs to issuing controversial pardons for violent extremists, these decisions reinforce systems designed to maintain a racial and social hierarchy where whiteness retains its dominance.

Dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs
One of the earliest and most troubling orders eliminates Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies. DEI initiatives were established to address systemic inequities in hiring, retention, and advancement that have historically excluded marginalized communities. Their purpose is not to “favor” anyone but to correct longstanding imbalances caused by discriminatory practices.
By framing this rollback as a return to “merit-based” systems, the administration ignores the structural barriers rooted in white supremacy that prevent equitable opportunities for all. The purpose of the programs, contrary to what some people may claim, is to widen the pool for those in consideration for roles—not to promote unqualified workers—but allow for often over-qualified Black and brown workers the mere chance to be considered. Eliminating DEI programs ensures that workplace disparities in pay, promotion, and representation remain unchallenged, reinforcing systems that prioritize white dominance.
Compounding this rollback is the administration’s move to place all federal employees working in DEI offices on indefinite leave, effectively paralyzing longtime efforts to combat inequality in hiring and the workplace. This decision undermines years of progress toward creating inclusive workplaces and sends a chilling message that not only is the pursuit of equity no longer a priority, but also that if you promote equity, the administration will come for you. Being mindful of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to equal treatment including in the workplace, and sidelining professionals dedicated to addressing systemic inequities reinforces the status quo of exclusion and ensures that these disparities persist unchallenged.
White supremacy thrives when systems of exclusion go unaddressed. DEI programs have historically been a step toward equity, and their removal signals a dangerous disregard for the racial injustices that persist in federal workplaces and beyond.

Reinstating Rigid Gender Policies
Another executive order mandates that the federal government recognize only two sexes—male and female, based on reproductive anatomy. This policy targets and erases the identities of transgender and non-binary individuals, denying their human rights and recognition. This, too, aligns with white supremacist ideologies, which glorify rigid gender norms as a means of reinforcing traditional power structures. Historically, gender and racial oppression have been used in tandem to enforce conformity and punish those who challenge societal norms. As human beings, we have an inherent right to equality and the right to live free from violence. Yet transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, face the highest rates of violence in the country. This policy seeks to erase transgender identity, compounding threats to transgender people’s equality and their very lives.

Immigration Policies Bolster Racialized Narratives
The administration’s decision to deploy military forces to the U.S.-Mexico border and label Mexican cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” perpetuates harmful racial narratives. The order frames the measure as vital to protect national security, promoting xenophobic stereotypes that cast immigrants—particularly those from majority non-white nations—as threats to the United States. The vitriolic sentiment encompassed within these directives ignores the humanity and dignity of immigrants and inspires attacks on them and their human rights. This rhetoric echoes historical policies, from the Chinese Exclusion Act to the Muslim travel ban, that sought to limit the presence and participation of non-European groups in the United States. Often, this tactic of invoking fear of the “other” reinforces white supremacy’s central narrative: that whiteness is synonymous with U.S. American identity, and everyone else is an outsider.
Urge President Trump to respect the human rights of immigrants and people seeking safety.

Ending Birthright Citizenship
One of President Trump’s most audacious executive orders seeks to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. This policy challenges the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
Couched under the auspices of “protecting” the “meaning of American citizenship,” this policy disproportionately affects Black and brown communities, further entrenching economic and social inequities. It reflects a broader strategy rooted in white supremacy: limiting who can claim “belonging” in the United States and who is at risk of their rights being taken away. This effort to redraw the boundaries of citizenship takes us back to policies like the Dred Scott decision and Jim Crow laws, which sought to exclude marginalized groups from full participation in society. These actions will further diminish the quest for equal human rights for all, making clear that the standard in the United States is whiteness and those who deviate from that are subject to fewer rights and protections.

Pardoning Proud Boys and Oath Keepers
President Trump’s decision to pardon and release members of extremist groups, like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, signals that the administration will directly support white supremacists. These groups played pivotal roles in the January 6, 2021, violent attack on the U.S. Capitol to halt certification of the 2020 election results and uphold a vision of the United States rooted in white nationalism. These pardons signal that the actions of these groups are not only tolerated but protected.
This decision starkly contrasts with President Trump’s treatment of racial justice protesters, who in the past faced excessive force, surveillance, and harsh penalties for advocating for a right to live. These pardons embolden white supremacist groups and undermine efforts to hold them accountable, reinforcing the dangerous narrative that violence to preserve racial hierarchies is acceptable.

Potentially Reversing the Cap on Insulin: Widening Health Inequities
President Trump also issued an order that potentially could reverse the federal cap on insulin prices, removing a crucial protection that made this life-saving medication more affordable. While this policy change may impact all people who depend on insulin, it disproportionately harms communities of color, who experience significantly higher rates of diabetes and are more likely to face financial barriers to healthcare.
Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of healthcare and equality in that healthcare, but Black and brown communities bear the brunt of the diabetes epidemic due to a combination of systemic factors, including food deserts, inadequate access to healthcare, and the long-term effects of economic inequity. The removal of the insulin cap exacerbates these disparities, forcing individuals in these communities to choose between their health and necessities like food or housing.
Policies that increase healthcare costs for vulnerable populations deepen the systemic inequities that white supremacy thrives on. Access to affordable medication is a human right, and this rollback reinforces a structure that values profits over the well-being of marginalized communities.

Undermining Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
The president also issued an executive order to repeal a previous order from 1965 that required non-discrimination in employment, protections which were born out of the Civil Rights Movement and the pained recognition that systemic discrimination required intentional and systemic solutions. This order significantly weakens the mechanisms designed to protect workers from discrimination based on race, gender, disability, age, and other protected categories. the mechanisms designed to protect workers from discrimination based on race, gender, disability, age, and other protected categories.
This attack on EEO policies challenges the legal safeguards that have been essential in addressing workplace inequities. By limiting the scope of EEO investigations and diluting enforcement capabilities, this executive order makes it easier for discriminatory practices to go unchecked, particularly in agencies and organizations where these groups are already underrepresented. The implications of this move infringe on the right to exist equally and be afforded the same opportunities and human rights. Weakening these protections perpetuates white supremacy by ensuring that workplaces remain spaces where power and opportunity are concentrated among the privileged, while marginalized groups are left vulnerable to exclusion and mistreatment.

White Supremacy as a Force
These executive orders and pardons are not isolated acts, and the disparate impact is no accident. They represent a coordinated effort to reassert white supremacy through policy and power. By targeting marginalized groups, rolling back equity-focused initiatives, and protecting extremist actors, the administration reinforces systemic racism. White supremacy operates not only through overt hate but also through decisions that systematically exclude, marginalize, and punish those who challenge the status quo. These actions serve as a stark reminder of how power can be wielded to preserve privilege and undermine justice.

What Can We Do
The first thing we must do to combat white supremacist policies and attacks on human rights is to recognize what is going on, and that these actions are rooted in white supremacy. By recognizing the root cause and motivating factor, we can use that knowledge to build intentional solutions that last. We can also use our power to contact our elected representatives and tell them to protect human rights at all costs.
As the first week of the new administration made clear, our human rights are at stake, and they will use the power of the office to attempt to roll back the hard-fought battles for equality. We must come together to show them our human rights are not up for discussion; they belong to all of us.