Clearinghouse coding complete
The Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division announced an investigation on September 18, 2025, into whether the City of Austin, Texas, discriminated against employees, job applicants, and training programs in violation of Title VII in a manner that discriminated against men and white people.
The DOJ investigation is based upon the City of Austin’s website page for its Office of Equity and Inclusion, Equity Division. Per the DOJ investigation letter, the website stated that the Office of Equity and Inclusion “works across all City departments . . . to build capacity and leadership in working from a racial equity lens,” and the website also detailed guidance for how the City can “work using a racial equity lens.” That guidance included recommendations to “delineate clear racial equity expectations regarding hiring” and to “integrate explicit considerations of racial equity into decisions, including policies, practices, programs and budgets.” The website page referenced by the DOJ investigation letter is no longer publicly available on the City of Austin website.
This investigation is still ongoing as of June 2026.
Summary Authors
Sadie Henderson (7/2/2026)
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Public Benefits/Government Services
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government
Key Dates
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Department of Justice, Civil Right Division, Employment
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
City
City of Austin, Texas
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Other Dockets:
Special Case Type(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Discrimination Area:
Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Case Summary of DOJ Investigation of the City of Austin, Texas, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48026/ (last updated 7/2/2026).