Videos prompt DOJ investigation into ASU over DEI allegations
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Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, announced an investigation into ASU over DEI allegations. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Justice says "viral videos" have prompted a civil rights investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies at Arizona State University.
Why it matters: If DOJ concludes the university has impermissible or illegal policies, it could seek to punish the school by pulling funding or other penalties.
The big picture: This is the latest chapter in an intensive push by the Trump administration to target universities over DEI and other policies.
- The U.S. Department of Education launched investigations into several dozen universities in March 2025, including ASU, over allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination.
State of play: DOJ's Civil Rights Division announced Wednesday that it launched an investigation into DEI policies in response to videos indicating that "ASU denied equal treatment to students based on race, color, or national origin — while attempting to hide its discriminatory practices from federal scrutiny."
- They'll investigate whether ASU subjects students to illegal discrimination through DEI policies in admissions, recruitment, scholarships, tutoring and educational support, DOJ said.
- Federal law requires universities that receive federal funding to treat students equally, "regardless of race, color or national origin," the agency noted.
- DOJ hasn't reached any conclusions about the allegations, the announcement said.
Zoom in: The investigation was prompted by covert videos taken of ASU employees by conservative nonprofit Accuracy in Media, which has numerous videos on its website in which the group alleges numerous administrators bragged about continuing to push DEI policies despite state and federal bans.
- In a video posted on May 26, a woman identified as a graduate program coordinator for ASU's School of Social Transformation tells a young woman who said she was seeking a focus on equity, "We are DEI."
- In another video posted last month, a woman identified as a coordinator for the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics said the university had to remove words like "diversity" from some centers and programs, "but it isn't changing the work."
The other side: ASU complies fully with federal law and doesn't discriminate in admissions, the university said in a statement to Axios.
- Doing so would violate ASU and Arizona Board of Regents policy, as well as a provision of the Arizona Constitution prohibiting preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, national origin or sex, the university added.
- ASU declined to comment on the videos, saying it "does not comment on secret video recordings of its employees who are not authorized to speak on behalf of the university."