Harmeet Dhillon, controversial head of Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, resigns
Updated on: November 5, 2026 / 3:32 PM EST / CBS News
TL;DR
- Harmeet Dhillon resigned from her position as Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
- During her 18-month tenure, the division's focus shifted from protecting marginalized groups to issues such as gun owners' rights and opposing DEI policies.
- Over 75% of the Civil Rights Division staff departed during Dhillon's leadership.
- Dhillon's resignation letter mentioned her efforts to end 'unlawful and discriminatory DEI practices' and protect 'women and girls' sports from biological males.'
- The Justice Department closed many discrimination cases targeting Black Americans and dismissed decades-old consent decrees under her leadership.
- Dhillon also nixed consent decrees related to police misconduct in Minneapolis and Louisville and rescinded findings in other police departments.
- There were reports that President Trump demanded Dhillon's firing after her '60 Minutes' appearance discussing election integrity.
- Dhillon's division filed 31 lawsuits seeking unredacted voter rolls, intending to share the information with Homeland Security for enforcement purposes, losing 27 of these cases.
- The Civil Rights Division sent a record number of over 1,000 monitors to polling sites during the midterm elections.