Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images: President Trump signing executive orders.
On his first day back in the Oval Office, since his previous term ended in January 2021, President Donald Trump signed a record number of 26 executive orders within the first 100 days of his presidency, marking him as the first president to sign the most executive orders on his first day in office. While this may be seen as a historic moment in United States history, many are expressing concern about the potential consequences of these executive orders and their implications for the future of America.
Trump wasted no time executing his proposed plans, implementing measures that included initiating mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, ending birthright citizenship in the United States, and imposing restrictions on transgender rights.
These signed executive orders sparked outrage among American citizens, as they had a significant impact on those who previously benefited from the initiatives before they were revoked or implemented.
One action of particular concern is the order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” which terminates DEI programs and initiatives.
According to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Executive Order 11246 requires the federal government to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” Since Trump has rescinded an order designed to prevent discrimination in federal employment, many individuals who benefited from this policy are now vulnerable to discrimination or prejudice when seeking employment.
Major corporations, including Amazon, Walmart, Lowe’s, and Ford Motor Co., have recently been reported scaling back their diversity efforts by withdrawing from Pride parades, discontinuing diversity surveys, and removing DEI initiatives from their job policies.
This new initiative can have a significant impact on students who are graduating and entering the workforce, as efforts designed to protect underrepresented groups—particularly marginalized communities and diverse demographics such as women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and racial and ethnic minorities—have now disappeared.
Rosland Houston, a board member of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, shared her thoughts on the DEI executive order with WVTM 13 News, stating, “I immediately saw the negative consequences it would have on the livelihoods of thousands of people employed by the federal government.”
The severity of these executive orders makes it even more difficult not only for students enrolled in or planning to enroll at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) but also for the institutions themselves.
Since DEI initiatives help fund events that promote HBCUs, Trump’s executive orders have led to the cancellation of the HBCUs and Registered Apprenticeship Mini-Conference, which was scheduled to take place next week. This event, organized by the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions, was designed to highlight the voices and experiences of HBCU leaders and students in workforce development.
HBCUs will no longer receive national recognition, nor will they continue to receive funding from initiatives that benefit them. It is well known that HBCUs are more likely to receive inadequate funding compared to Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). As a result, this lack of funding can negatively impact the resources available to current and future students that ensure they can obtain a well-paying job after college.
The Black community has been seriously impacted by these initiatives, with DEI programs being stripped away. Now, the withdrawal from the public health sector may have further reduced access to essential health services for the Black community.
The WHO plays a crucial role in disease prevention and response to public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected Black communities.
According to Capital B News, “The Trump administration was slow to respond to COVID-19, which killed Black Americans at more than twice the rate of white Americans.”
With the United States withdrawing from the WHO, the reduction of health programs addressing health inequities will open the door to misinformation, increase distrust, and limit access to global health resources, ultimately leaving Black communities that rely on these services vulnerable.
Changes to transgender rights can also significantly impact black transgender individuals, as Trump previously introduced initiatives that roll back protections for transgender rights. One executive order mandates that the federal government recognize only two sexes—male and female. Another order removes the requirement for government facilities and workplaces to refer to transgender individuals using pronouns that align with their gender identity.
Both of these orders heighten the risk of violence, harassment, and hate crimes against transgender people of color, which can interfere with their safety and well-being, as these new initiatives can create negative perceptions. This also may remove previously inclusive environments that transgender people relied on for support and acceptance.
The impact of these orders is just the beginning for the Trump administration. As time goes on, he will continue to shape his White House agenda, and the results will continue to impact more marginalized communities and various demographics.
Spartan Echo 