The Department of Homeland Security has begun cutting Biden-era programs tied to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and LGBTQ+ initiatives, marking one of the biggest rollbacks yet under Trump’s new administration.
According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, programs meant for counterterrorism had been “hijacked by activists” and turned into “political training for children.” The first to go was Invent2Prevent, once designed to prevent radicalization in schools, and now accused of promoting “social indoctrination.”
The administration also eliminated $18.5 million in DHS grants that funded DEI and LGBTQ+ nonprofits, including SMYAL and The Eradicate Hate Global Summit. Officials said the grants had “nothing to do with extremism prevention — and everything to do with activism.”
Conservatives praised the move as a return to national security over ideology, while progressives condemned it as a direct attack on inclusion and civil rights.
Supporters argue it’s time to end government-funded “woke propaganda.” Critics warn it will hurt marginalized students and silence progress made toward equality.
Whatever the viewpoint, one thing is clear — this marks the start of a nationwide reset on DEI in education, signaling a sharp turn away from the policies of the last administration.
