Conservative group files civil rights complaint against Alexandria over equity policies
America First Legal alleges city's diversity initiatives violate federal anti-discrimination laws
A conservative legal organization has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the city, alleging its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies violate federal anti-discrimination laws.
America First Legal Foundation filed the complaint Tuesday with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, claiming Alexandria’s “All Alexandria Resolution” and related programs constitute unlawful racial discrimination under Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
AFL filed similar complaints against Arlington County and Richmond on the same day. Whether the Justice Department will open investigations into any of the jurisdictions remains unclear.
What AFL claims
AFL’s complaint takes issue with the city’s 2021 resolution committing to “embedding racial and social equity into all city policies, programs, decisions, and environments.” The organization argues this amounts to race-based decision-making that treats residents differently based on their race.
AFL attorney Will Scolinos said in a statement that “cities, counties, and corporations are under the perverse perception that discrimination is okay when they do it to rectify past discrimination — it is not.”
AFL Senior Counsel Emily Percival said, “Equity mandates have turned local governments into laboratories for racial engineering.”
The complaint does not provide specific examples of individuals who were allegedly discriminated against or detail particular hiring or policy decisions that resulted in disparate treatment. The allegations focus on policy language and stated goals rather than documented instances of discrimination.
The complaint also does not cite any court precedent establishing that the types of equity policies Alexandria has adopted violate federal civil rights law. Legal experts have noted that the distinction between unlawful discrimination and permissible efforts to address historical inequities remains a complex and evolving area of law.
City’s equity program
According to the city’s Office of Race and Social Equity website, the office was established in 2020 and is part of the City Manager’s leadership team. The office’s stated mission is to fulfill the All Alexandria Resolution by “embedding racial and social equity into all city policies, programs, decisions, and environments.”
A three-year progress report published by the city details equity initiatives from 2020 to 2023, including training over 800 staff members in racial equity concepts, establishing departmental equity core teams, and developing tools to evaluate policies through an equity lens.
The city defines equity as “recognizing and providing for individuals’ specific needs to achieve an equal outcome,” distinguishing it from equality, which it says treats everyone the same regardless of circumstances.
Alexandria’s website states the city rejects “color-blind” approaches, saying such policies can “invalidate the importance of peoples’ culture; ignore the manifestations of racist policies which preserve the ongoing processes that maintain racial and ethnic stratification in social, political, and cultural institutions.”
The city’s definition of racism states it is “a complex system of beliefs and behaviors, grounded in a presumed superiority of the white race” that results “in the oppression of people of color and benefit the dominant group, whites.”
The Alexandria Police Department has published a racial equity plan stating it “continues to make efforts in creating a diverse workforce” with goals of “improving the demographic representation through recruitment.”
City programs highlighted in its progress report include making DASH bus service fare-free, eliminating library late fees, launching a guaranteed income pilot program, and creating initiatives to address health disparities and climate impacts in communities of color.
Arlington and Richmond complaints
AFL’s Arlington County complaint focuses on what it describes as an “Affirmative Action Program for Women and Minorities” that establishes “underutilization goals” to increase minority representation among senior administrators from 35.23% to 45% and among police officers from 27.38% to 38%.
AFL characterizes these as “quotas,” though the county’s documents describe them as “goals.” This distinction is legally significant: the U.S. Supreme Court has held that rigid numerical quotas based on race are unconstitutional, while flexible goals are treated differently under the law.
The Richmond complaint alleges the city has embedded equity considerations into climate policy, transportation planning, and other city services.
GARE partnership
All three complaints criticize the jurisdictions’ partnerships with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity. AFL describes GARE as “a radical activist network,” though the organization describes itself as “a national network of governments working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all.”
AFL claims GARE receives funding from groups affiliated with George Soros, but provides no documentation of current funding sources or amounts in its complaints.
About America First Legal
AFL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Stephen Miller, who served as senior advisor to President Trump during his first administration and currently serves as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy in Trump’s second term. The organization’s president is Gene Hamilton, who previously served as Deputy White House Counsel to President Trump.
The organization lists “Dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” as its top priority alongside immigration enforcement, parental rights, and election integrity.
AFL has filed numerous complaints against diversity programs in government agencies, corporations, and educational institutions. The outcomes of these complaints have been mixed, with some resulting in policy changes and others being dismissed or not acted upon.
Legal and political context
The complaints reference executive orders issued by President Trump in January 2025 aimed at eliminating diversity programs in federal agencies and entities receiving federal funds.
In September 2025, the Justice Department opened an investigation into the City of Austin, Texas. AFL cites this as precedent, though that investigation is ongoing and has not resulted in findings of unlawful discrimination.
Legal scholars note that many equity initiatives focus on expanding opportunity and removing barriers rather than making decisions based solely on race. Whether such programs violate federal law often depends on their specific implementation, which AFL’s complaints do not detail.
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down race-conscious college admissions dealt specifically with higher education and did not directly address government equity programs. How courts will apply that precedent to local government initiatives remains an open question.
City response
The Alexandria Brief has reached out to the city and Mayor Alyia Gaskins for comment. This story will be updated when a response is received.
The investigation request now sits with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, headed by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024 and confirmed by the Senate in April 2025. There is no timeline for when or if the department will open a formal investigation.
The department is not required to investigate every complaint it receives and has discretion in how to allocate its resources.
Title VI prohibits discrimination by entities receiving federal funds, while Title VII bars employers from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Alexandria receives federal funding for various programs, according to its fiscal 2026 budget.
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