Top US civil rights official resigns

What the report says

The top official overseeing the US Justice Department’s civil rights division, Harmeet Dhillon, has resigned, according to a post from Attorney General Todd Blanche. Al Jazeera reported that Blanche announced the departure on social media and praised Dhillon for defending civil liberties and enforcing the law, while the White House did not immediately comment.

Dhillon, a Trump ally confirmed to the post in April 2025, had led a major reshaping of the division, which handles civil rights and anti-discrimination enforcement. Her exit comes as President Donald Trump’s administration faces expected congressional scrutiny over several issues, including the handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files and allegations involving shootings by immigration agents.

The report said Dhillon is the first senior Trump administration official to resign since Democrats won both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. It also noted that incoming House oversight leadership, likely to be led by Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, has signaled investigations into ICE conduct and the Epstein matter. Al Jazeera said the civil rights division has faced internal criticism, including from former Justice Department officials who accused it of being weakened under Trump.

In broader context, the Justice Department’s civil rights division is traditionally responsible for enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws and reviewing certain law enforcement conduct, though the article did not indicate whether Dhillon’s resignation was connected to the pending investigations.