A legal advocacy group pushes for an investigation into Henry Ford Health’s DEI practices, stirring controversy over alleged racial and sex-based discrimination.
Key Takeaways
- The complaint calls for an investigation into Henry Ford Health’s DEI practices.
- Allegations include racial quotas in employment and medical services.
- Federal funds might be used to enforce these DEI policies.
- The probe could affect nearly $1 billion received by the hospital.
Controversy Over DEI Practices
America First Legal submitted a complaint against Henry Ford Health, accusing the institution of violating federal laws through its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. The complaint argues these practices result in discriminatory treatment in hiring, residency programs, and patient services, using federal funds to support racial quotas and prioritizing organ transplants by race. Such actions reportedly breach Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.
Federal Investigations and Implications
Henry Ford Health has received nearly $1 billion in federal awards with DEI provisions since 2021. The complaint could prompt the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to examine the hospital’s DEI programs for potential violations of civil rights laws, potentially resulting in suspension or termination of federal funding. Consumers’ Research backed the complaint, criticizing the hospital for prioritizing political motives over patient care, including performing transgender treatments on minors.
“Henry Ford Health is prioritizing politics over patients,” said Will Hild, Consumers’ Research executive director. “Driven by gender ideology, Henry Ford has continued performing deeply harmful and irreversible sex-change treatments on children and must be stopped… Consumers’ Research will continue to put these hospitals on blast for putting a woke agenda over patient care.”
Broader Federal Efforts
Henry Ford Health isn’t the first to face scrutiny; similar investigations target other health institutions. The Trump administration had previously enacted an executive order directing federal agencies to ensure civil rights law compliance, aligned with scrutinizing DEI policies in healthcare. This reflects a federal trend to closely examine DEI initiatives that may infringe upon civil rights, ensuring taxpayer dollars support equitable practices.
“Failure to act in the face of such egregious and well-documented violations would not only signal tolerance of unlawful discrimination but would undermine the federal government’s duty to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to advance unconstitutional or ideologically driven practices,” America First Legal wrote in their complaint.
