The Civil Rights Affiliation Urges Senators to Reject Dreiband’s Nomination
SAN FRANCISCO — Last week, President Trump nominated Eric Dreiband for the position of Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
In response to this latest nomination by the administration, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice), a national affiliation of five civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:
Advancing Justice opposes the nomination of Eric Dreiband to lead the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, which enforces key federal laws protecting voting rights, housing rights, and education access, and sets critical national guidelines around police reform and hate crimes. The nomination of Dreiband to lead the nation’s most important agency in protecting and championing civil rights is an affront to the legacy of the civil rights movement and those who continue to work so hard for equality and justice.
Dreiband’s has built a career fighting against the rights of communities of color and other marginalized communities. He has spent his time almost exclusively on the other side of the aisle, helping companies evade responsibility for race, gender, and age discrimination lawsuits brought against them. Dreiband has defended a tobacco corporation against age discrimination claims, a media organization in a pregnancy discrimination case, and a clothing retailer from religious discrimination accusations. Dreiband has continually sided against discrimination victims and advocated for the removal of protections for marginalized groups. His writings and statements likewise reflect indifference to civil rights.
Dreiband’s nomination is yet another step in the wrong direction by this current administration, whose hostile attitude and demonstrated record of undermining civil rights must be stopped. Now – more than at any other time in our recent history – it is crucial that the head of the Civil Rights Division is a champion for civil and human rights and is faithful to our nation’s hard-fought civil rights laws. Eric Dreiband has shown that he is not that person.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice urges all Senators to oppose Dreiband’s nomination. We demand the President nominate an individual who has a demonstrated record of protecting and preserving people’s rights, not defending discrimination against vulnerable communities.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice | AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.