Harmeet Dhillon, who headed the Civil Rights Division at the US Department of Justice, has stepped down from her position, becoming one of the first prominent Trump administration officials to leave following the Republicans’ poor performance in the midterm elections.
Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor. The Department is grateful for her dedicated public service, and we wish her every success in her future endeavors.
— Attorney General Todd Blanche (@AGToddBlanche) November 5, 2026
Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed her resignation on Thursday through a post on X, acknowledging her work over the past 18 months.
“Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor,” Blanche wrote.
He further thanked Dhillon for her service and wished her success in her future endeavours.
The Civil Rights Division traditionally handles cases involving discrimination, voting rights and allegations of excessive force by police departments. However, Dhillon’s leadership faced strong criticism from civil rights advocates.
Stacey Young, head of the DOJ alumni group Justice Connection, accused Dhillon of damaging the division and undermining its work in protecting Americans’ rights.
Before joining the department, Dhillon served as a Republican National Committeewoman for California and advised Trump on legal efforts challenging the 2020 election results. She also founded the conservative legal organisation Center for American Liberty, which challenged COVID restrictions and opposed expanded mail-in voting access.
