Minnesota Health Department Suspends Race-Based Grant After DOJ Title VI Review
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
Minnesota Health Department Suspends Race-Based Grant After DOJ Title VI Review
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
Summary
Minnesota's Department of Health halted its Capacity Strengthening Initiative after the Justice Department opened a Title VI civil-rights compliance review, according to a DOJ announcement Tuesday.
The DOJ said the grant limited eligibility to groups serving "people of color," gave priority to organizations led by "populations of color," and steered a higher share of funds to Black and nonwhite Latino communities.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, said recipients of federal money cannot decide benefits based on race, color or national origin and called the program's language unlawful under the Civil Rights Act.
The DOJ said Minnesota repealed the statute governing the program, turning the case into an early example of federal scrutiny of race-conscious state grant programs tied to federal funding.