Judge rules against NIH cuts to DEI studies

The National Institutes of Health violated federal law by arbitrarily abolishing more than $1 billion in research grants because of their perceived connection to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, a federal judge ruled. U.S. District Judge William Young, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, accused the government of discriminating against racial minorities and LGBTQ people. He said he was reinstating the grants the government had awarded to organizations and Democratic-led states that sued over the canceled grants. He also indicated he could issue a broader ruling as the case continues. The NIH said it would consider an appeal of the judge’s order. The ruling applies to hundreds of grants, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the grant recipients who sued. (NBC News article, 6/16/25)