DOJ Investigates CUNY's Black Male Initiative for Potential Civil Rights Violations

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has announced an investigation into the City University of New York (CUNY) regarding its Black Male Initiative (BMI). The initiative aims to support the educational success of underrepresented groups, particularly African American and Latino males. The DOJ is investigating whether CUNY may have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race-based discrimination by institutions receiving federal funding. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated that race should not influence the distribution of educational resources. The DOJ has not yet reached any conclusions about the university. The BMI, which began approximately 21 years ago, has previously been investigated under the Obama administration, which found race-targeted recruiting permissible. The Equal Protection Project filed a civil rights complaint last month, arguing that a similar initiative for White males would not be tolerated. This investigation follows a trend of scrutiny by the DOJ into university programs that favor minority students.