Harmeet Dhillon stepped down as the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, becoming the first high-ranking official to exit the administration following the midterm elections, The Washington Post reported.
Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed on Thursday that he accepted the resignation. Dhillon stated that she made the decision weeks prior and agreed to a request from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to delay the announcement until after voters went to the polls.
Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor. The Department is grateful for…
— https://x.com/AGToddBlanche/status/2118397456052302011 Attorney General Todd Blanche
Dhillon’s departure caps a 19-month tenure marked by a significant restructuring of the division following her Senate confirmation in April 2025. During her time leading the unit, she shifted federal enforcement priorities toward religious liberties, Second Amendment rights, and challenges against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, alongside policies regarding transgender athletes in school sports.
Overhaul and Staff Turnover at the Civil Rights Division
The policy shifts were accompanied by substantial personnel changes inside the agency. Career staffing levels dropped sharply during Dhillon’s tenure, with sources indicating an exit of roughly 75% of the division’s career attorneys. To rebuild the ranks, Dhillon recruited more than 130 new lawyers whose backgrounds aligned with conservative legal advocacy.
Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honor of a lifetime. We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI, we fought to protect women and girls’ sports, and so much more. I want to thank President Trump for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to what’s next!
The division pursued several high-profile legal battles during this period, including lawsuits against state voter rolls and challenges directed at athletic policies in states such as Minnesota and California. At the same time, the office faced numerous setbacks in federal courts, losing multiple challenges related to state voting administration.
Stacey Young, a former Civil Rights Division attorney who founded the nonprofit advocacy group Justice Connection, characterized the tenure as destructive to federal oversight. Meanwhile, Kristen Clarke, NAACP general counsel and a former assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Biden administration, argued that the division had abandoned traditional enforcement of federal civil rights laws.
Transition to Private Practice and Upcoming Departures
Dhillon indicated that she plans to return to her California-based firm, the Dhillon Law Group, which has been managed by her brother Mandeep Singh Dhillon during her time in Washington. Before entering the administration, she built a prominent national profile litigating election law and First Amendment cases, and previously served as a personal attorney for President Donald Trump.
The Department of Justice also announced another notable departure in a court filing on Thursday, noting that Henry Whitaker, a veteran litigator and key aide in the attorney general’s office, is leaving the government for another opportunity. Legal analysts and former officials anticipate that additional political appointees may exit their roles during the upcoming lame-duck period before the new year.
