The U.S. Department of Justice is taking a firm stand against race-based reparations in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The DOJ has raised serious concerns about plans to distribute nearly $3 million in reparations strictly to Black residents. In a letter to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General and head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, outlined potential violations of federal civil rights laws. The warning came just as the Asheville-Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission released a report that includes 39 recommendations aimed at addressing historic injustices tied to systemic racism.
The commission, formed in 2022 by the city and county, put forth various initiatives, such as establishing a Black wealth-building fund, creating community land trusts for affordable housing that prioritize Black residents, and even suggesting direct cash payments to individuals alleging harm from racial discrimination. Dr. Noreal F. Armstrong, the Chief Equity and Human Rights Officer for Buncombe County, had already set aside over $2.9 million to launch these programs.
However, the DOJ’s intervention throws a wrench in those plans. “After our initial review, we are deeply concerned that many of the recommendations, if implemented, would violate federal civil rights laws,” Dhillon stated in the letter. The DOJ has emphasized that it will monitor any local actions closely. Dhillon reinforced this commitment in a social media post, declaring, “We are serious about ending DEI racism in America!”
The controversy escalated when former Commission Chair Dwight Mullen, a retired professor, described the situation as an “unfair fight.” He argued that the federal government’s resources could drown out local efforts and divert necessary funds meant for addressing racial injustices. He suggested that delaying the process might be the wisest course of action, as pursuing legal battles could exhaust their limited resources.
“The resources we have can’t compare to the resources that can be marshaled by the federal government,” Mullen remarked, highlighting the daunting challenge faced by local authorities when up against federal scrutiny.
The DOJ’s alert shows a deliberate move to uphold federal civil rights laws amidst evolving discussions on reparations. The recommendations put forward by the reparations commission provoke deep divisions on issues of race and equity in America. As plans unfold in Buncombe County, the implications of this warning from the DOJ extend beyond geography, touching on the broader conversation about how to address historical wrongs in a way that is legally and ethically sound.
At the heart of the controversy lies a significant question: How should local governments engage with race-based initiatives while ensuring compliance with civil rights laws? This issue reflects the ongoing national dialogue regarding equity, justice, and the indispensable duty of all levels of government to act within constitutional boundaries.
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