Coalition Sues Trump Administration, Alleging Anti-DEI Orders Violate Landmark Anti-Trafficking Law

A national coalition of more than 50 anti-trafficking organizations has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of unlawful censorship, claiming its bans on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives hinder efforts to support trafficking survivors.

According to The Guardian, the complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago by Freedom Network USA, alleges that two executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump in January violate the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), a 25-year-old federal law aimed at eradicating sexual slavery and forced labor.

“These policies silence survivors – and we will not self-censor,” said Karen Romero, co-executive director of Freedom Network USA, which leads the coalition.

According to the suit, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has prohibited the organization from using terms such as “gender,” “race,” “ethnicity,” “accessibility” and “fairness” in federally funded programs. About 70% of the group’s budget comes from DOJ grants through its Office for Victims of Crime.

The restrictions, said attorney Sabrina Talukder of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, represent a “major civil rights issue.” Justice Department data show that 40% of sex trafficking survivors in the U.S. are Black women, and many others are immigrants or LGBTQ+ individuals.

The lawsuit argues that the administration’s creation of “forbidden terms” prevents advocates from addressing systemic inequities that make some populations more vulnerable to trafficking. It contends that when Congress enacted the TVPA, it identified “discrimination” as a key factor traffickers exploit — yet that word is now banned under the DOJ’s guidance.

The Department of Justice did not comment on the lawsuit but has previously said it is fulfilling “President Trump’s promise to do everything possible to save child victims of human trafficking.” The White House has maintained that Trump implemented “tough-on-crime policies” targeting traffickers.

A Guardian investigation last month found that the administration had rolled back anti-trafficking initiatives across multiple federal agencies and failed to allocate millions in approved DOJ funds. Nonprofits like Preble Street in Maine report being forced to suspend emergency aid for survivors due to lapsed federal grants.

“When you’re turning away survivors of human trafficking, what does that mean for our values?” asked Hailey Virusso, the group’s director of anti-trafficking services.