On January 19, 2026, the federal holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr., Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued coordinated opinions declaring that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs violate federal and state constitutional guarantees of equal protection. Though they lack the force of law, the opinions target both public-sector programs and private-sector employment practices, signaling an aggressive new enforcement posture against race- and sex-conscious initiatives in two of the nation’s largest states.
