Nearly 70% of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division just walked out the door under Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon’s watch.
In a stunning turn of events, a mass resignation swept through the division earlier this year, driven by ideological clashes with the Trump administration and lucrative payout packages from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as the New York Post reports.
Starting with over 400 lawyers, the division saw more than 200 quit around the time DOGE rolled out its offers, then close to another 100 followed suit shortly after. These federal workers didn’t leave empty-handed -- DOGE, collaborating across agencies, offered “five-month packages.” While the payouts were generous, many departing lawyers cited stark differences with the new direction under Dhillon, who issued fresh guidelines to align with President Trump’s civil rights priorities.
Dhillon didn’t shy away from the drama, noting the emotional fallout among the exiting staff.
“I think there was some denial and they had crying sessions together,” Dhillon quipped during an appearance on Pod Force One, painting a picture of tearful farewells and “unhappy hours” among the disillusioned.
Let’s be real -- while the handwringing might tug at a few heartstrings, a golden parachute hardly warrants a tissue, and these lawyers are likely landing on their feet in activist circles and nonprofit gigs.
In the wake of the exodus, many of these former DOJ employees have indeed shifted to roles in advocacy groups and so-called “pseudo nonprofits,” continuing their progressive push outside government walls.
Meanwhile, Dhillon faces the daunting task of rebuilding, bogged down by paperwork to hire replacements who can execute the administration’s vision.
This isn’t just a staffing hiccup -- it’s a historic “self-purge,” as Dhillon called it, arguably the largest personnel shift the DOJ has ever seen.
On top of staffing woes, Dhillon has hit the ground running, sending letters to over four dozen higher education institutions demanding records and signaling a tough stance against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Her mission is clear: dismantle what many conservatives see as a misguided progressive agenda in academia, even if it means navigating a skeletal staff to do so.
Before stepping into this role, Dhillon built a reputation as a conservative legal warrior, founding the Center for American Liberty and the Dhillon Law Group, both of which have tackled civil rights battles and supported Trump’s causes -- though her bid to lead the Republican National Committee in 2023 didn’t pan out.
“I didn’t fire anybody. I just told them they have to approach their job differently,” Dhillon stated on Pod Force One, underscoring that this exodus was a choice, sweetened by government payouts.
Her point is sharp -- nobody was pushed out, but if you can’t handle a shift away from the left-leaning status quo, there’s the door, and apparently, a hefty check waiting on the other side.
For conservatives cheering a leaner, more aligned DOJ, this shake-up is a win, though the road ahead for Dhillon looks bumpy as she balances hiring with policy enforcement; still, her resolve to prioritize the administration’s goals over bureaucratic nostalgia is a refreshing, if challenging, change of pace.
