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Harmeet Dhillon resigns as Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights: sources
Harmeet Dhillon is resigning as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, saying she chose to leave to return to private practice. She said she told White House chief of staff Susie Wiles of her decision three weeks before the midterm elections and agreed to delay her departure until afterwards.
Dhillon submitted her resignation on 5 November, after about 19 months in office. Appointed by Donald Trump and sworn in in April 2025, she oversaw a major shift in the division’s priorities and a period of substantial staff turnover: about 300 lawyers left, while she said she recruited more than 130. Attorney General Todd Blanche accepted her resignation and praised her public service.
In short
- Harmeet Dhillon is leaving the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
- She says she decided to resign weeks before the midterm elections.
- About 300 lawyers left the division during her tenure.
Explained simply
The Justice Department is the US government department responsible for enforcing federal law. Its Civil Rights Division handles cases involving alleged discrimination and protects rights set out in federal law, including in areas such as voting, education and employment.
The division is led by an assistant attorney general, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Harmeet Dhillon was appointed by President Donald Trump; her tenure brought changes to the division’s priorities and substantial staff departures and recruitment.
The division’s work can affect how federal civil rights laws are enforced across the country. Its direction matters to people and organisations involved in discrimination cases, as well as to state and local authorities that may be subject to federal action.