On Monday March 10, a District of Maryland federal court issued a clarification to its prior order enjoining several key aspects of the recent anti-DEI executive orders from going into effect. The judge clarified that the preliminary injunction extends to all federal agencies, departments and commissions, and their respective heads, officers, agents and subdivisions (excluding the President).

Therefore, for the time-being, all federal agencies are precluded from:

  1. altering, blocking, or terminating certain awards, contracts, or obligations on the basis of recipients’ DEI efforts;
  2. requiring federal contractors and grant recipients to make anti-DEI certifications; or
  3. developing investigation and enforcement strategies against companies, educational institutions, and nonprofits that promote DEI.

And this JUST in: Plaintiffs have just moved for an emergency status conference with the Court regarding reports of widespread violations of the preliminary injunction order, and several instances of alleged noncompliance with the Order by the federal government.

Stay tuned.