The Office for Civil Rights initiated investigations into 45 universities for potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, focusing on practices that may involve race-based admissions, scholarships, and segregation in higher education. The move follows a February Dear Colleague Letter clarifying the civil rights obligations of federally funded institutions.

On March 12, 2025, nearly 240 staffers, including entire regional offices, were laid off from the Office for Civil Rights as part of a sweeping downsizing by the Trump administration, risking a severe backlog in civil rights investigations and diminished protection for marginalized communities.

On March 12, 2025, the Department of Education executed massive layoffs that drastically reduced the staff and regional presence of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The cuts, which affected union-represented employees and led to closing several regional offices, are seen as part of a politically motivated restructuring under President Donald Trump, undermining the agency's ability to investigate civil rights complaints and protect vulnerable student populations.

The Trump Education Department laid off nearly half of the Office for Civil Rights staff and closed seven of its 12 regional offices, severely diminishing its capacity to investigate civil rights violations and protect K-12 students. This restructuring has left over 6,000 pending investigations and compromised the agency's historical role in maintaining equal access to education.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced investigations into four medical schools and hospitals over allegations that their education, training, or scholarship programs discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex. The move is part of the enforcement of civil rights protections under Executive Order 14173, aimed at restoring merit-based opportunities.

The Office for Civil Rights has paused most of its ongoing investigations and shifted its focus to handling new cases—such as those concerning gender-neutral bathrooms, trans women athletes, and alleged antisemitism—following direct orders from the Trump administration. This move led to the cancellation of prior cases and a reduction in communication with affected communities.

ProPublica reports that under the Trump administration, the Office for Civil Rights has drastically reduced its intake of public complaints by shifting to politically directed investigations, and staff have been muzzled, placed on administrative leave, or fired, undermining impartial civil rights enforcement.

HHS announced a major restructuring of the Office for Civil Rights to create new divisions—including a standalone Enforcement Division led by Luis Perez and a rebranded HIP division focusing on cybersecurity—to address a growing backlog of HIPAA and civil rights complaints despite ongoing funding challenges.