National Urban League Declares Civil Rights State Of Emergency In U.S.

The National Urban League has declared a 'state of emergency' for civil rights in the U.S., warning that President Trump's administration is undermining decades of progress on antidiscrimination policies, personal freedoms, and Black economic advancement. The League's annual State of Black America report criticizes the administration for downsizing federal agencies responsible for enforcing civil rights and accuses a coordinated, well-funded conservative movement of promoting a hard-right agenda that threatens democracy and racial equity. Marc Morial, president of the Urban League, highlighted that white supremacist politics and white nationalism have become mainstream within the Republican Party. The report also faults the Trump administration's rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in corporations and universities, as well as social media companies' policy changes that may enable extremist content. The administration contends that these policies from prior Democratic and Republican governments are discriminatory and unconstitutional, with a White House spokesperson accusing civil rights groups of promoting division. The Urban League calls for a broad coalition to defend democracy, diversity, and economic justice in response to these challenges.