In a significant policy reversal, the Trump administration has reinstated nearly all employees of a key US Justice Department agency dedicated to mediating racial and ethnic conflicts, just months after moving to dismiss them.
A Sudden Reversal of 'Reduction in Force'
The US Department of Justice disclosed in a federal court filing on Tuesday that it had rescinded layoff notices issued in September to 13 employees of the Community Relations Service (CRS). The layoffs were part of a planned "reduction in force" that would have effectively dismantled the agency, which was established by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The justice department stated the decision to reinstate the staff was made "as a matter of administrative discretion" last Friday. However, the filing did not clarify whether the employees would return to their original duties at the CRS, a point immediately highlighted by plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit against the administration.
Legal Battle Over 'America's Peacemaker'
The reinstatement comes amid a legal challenge from civil rights groups, including the Ethical Society of Police and two local branches of the NAACP. They had argued the firings were an unlawful attempt to dismantle the CRS, an agency historically deployed as a neutral mediator in high-profile community conflicts, including school desegregation and unrest following the 2020 death of George Floyd.
In October, US District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, declined to issue a temporary order blocking the terminations but noted the plaintiffs had made a strong case for ultimately prevailing. Judge Talwani has been considering whether to issue an injunction to reinstate the employees and prevent the agency's dissolution.
An Agency Under Threat Finds Reprieve
The Trump administration has long sought to abolish the Community Relations Service, with its budget proposal for the current fiscal year containing no funding for it. Under the administration, the agency has declined all new requests for its conflict resolution services, according to the lawsuit.
However, the agency may yet survive. A bipartisan appropriations package advancing through Congress proposes allocating $20 million to the CRS. The plaintiffs have now asked the court to hold a hearing to determine the practical impact of the reinstatements and whether the staff will resume their core CRS functions.
The justice department did not respond to requests for further comment on the surprise reversal, leaving the long-term fate of "America's peacemaker" still uncertain.
