Federal Health Workers Alarmed by 'DEI Watch List' Publications
Washington, Wednesday, 5 February 2025.
A website published personal details of federal health workers involved in DEI initiatives, mainly targeting Black employees, raising privacy and discrimination concerns.
Fear Spreads Among Federal Health Workers
On February 4, 2025, federal health workers discovered their personal information had been published on a website called ‘DEI Watch List,’ which initially labeled them as ‘targets’ before changing the terminology to ‘dossiers’ [1]. The website, identified as a project of the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative watchdog group, has specifically listed workers’ salaries and what they term as ‘DEI offenses,’ including involvement in diversity initiatives, political donations, and the use of pronouns [1][7].
Context of Broader DEI Dismantling
This incident occurs against the backdrop of significant changes in federal DEI policies. President Donald Trump’s executive order from January 1, 2025, terminated DEI practices throughout federal departments [7]. The order, titled ‘Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,’ has already led to the scaling back of DEI programs in major corporations [7]. The situation has been further complicated by Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, who testified before the Senate Finance Committee on January 29, 2025 [4].
Professional Impact and Concerns
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, has characterized the website’s actions as ‘a scare tactic to intimidate people who are trying to do their work’ [1]. The targeting has had immediate effects, with CDC employees receiving threatening memos from HHS directing them to cease DEI-related activities and report non-compliant colleagues [1]. This surveillance has led to immediate administrative leaves for some employees and the cancellation of cultural events [1].
Legal and Security Implications
Health sector leaders are calling for law enforcement investigation into these acts of online harassment, suggesting they may constitute criminal behavior [1]. This development follows a similar pattern from December 2024, when the American Accountability Foundation created a comparable list targeting military personnel they deemed too focused on DEI [1]. The situation represents a significant escalation in the ongoing national debate over DEI initiatives in federal institutions [7].