ST. LOUIS – A conservative nonprofit group has asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the Washington University School of Medicine over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices.
On Sept. 15, 2025, the America First Legal Foundation sent a letter to U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. The letter alleges that WashU Med has engaged in systemic discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, and national origin through DEI initiatives.
The letter further describes the medical school as a “DEI indoctrination training camp.”
The AFL accuses WashU of embedding discriminatory practices within its medical school framework, claiming DEI practices are affecting admissions, scholarships, faculty hiring, curricula and residency programs. The letter alleges that WashU is prioritizing ideology over merit and asserts the medical school is in violation of Title VI, Title IX and executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The AFL is requesting the DOJ to launch a formal investigation into WashU Med’s admissions, hiring, residency, and curriculum practices. It also asks the DOJ to suspend WashU DEI-based classifications, programs, offices and committees and audit federal funding to determine whether it has supported preferential systems.
AFL was founded in 2021 by Stephen Miller, the former director of speechwriting under Trump who has spearheaded similar complaints against DEI policies at universities nationwide.
The DOJ letter targeting WashU Med comes amid broader efforts from Trump’s administration to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which in some cases have led to significant federal funding cuts. Earlier this week, WashU announced it would eliminate hundreds of positions, partially citing funding cuts as a factor.
FOX 2 has reached out to Washington University spokespeople for comment, but our requests have not been returned as of this story’s initial publication.
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