The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shuttered its range, fairness and inclusion (DEI) workplace final month, based on the legislation enforcement company.
“In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024.” an FBI spokesperson mentioned in a Thursday emailed assertion to The Hill.
DEI initiatives have obtained elevated criticism in latest weeks following the lethal New Orleans terrorist assault on New Yr’s Day that killed not less than 14 individuals and injured dozens extra, based on authorities.
Home Majority Chief Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) criticized the federal legislation enforcement companies after the New Orleans assault, claiming the give attention to inclusionary initiatives has distracted the brokers employed to make sure security within the U.S.
“Some of these agencies have gotten so wrapped up in the DEI movement. You know, call it wokeness, call it whatever you want,” Scalise mentioned throughout a radio interview earlier this month. “But where their main focus is on diversity and inclusion as opposed to security. And they’re two very different things. And we’ve got to get back to that core mission.”
Scalise’s remarks got here as anti-DEI advocates criticized New Orleans’ FBI workplace and native for internet hosting “Diversity Agent Recruiting” occasions too.
Equally within the higher chamber, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) accused the outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray of prioritizing DEI over “its core mission of protecting the American people.”
“Put simply, your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans,” Blackburn wrote in a 2-page letter dated Jan. 3.
“Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBI’s prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded,” she mentioned. “Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation.”
A number of U.S. firms, together with retail large Walmart, have rolled again their DEI initiative since President-elect Trump received the White Home. Aside from Walmart, a number of different main firms have taken comparable steps together with, Meta, Ford and McDonald’s.
The closure of the FBI’s DEI workplace was reported earlier Thursday by Fox Information.
