Trump administration removes ban on 'segregated facilities' in federal contracts

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The medication of U.S. President Donald Trump has removed an explicit prohibition connected "segregated facilities" similar waiting rooms, restaurants and drinking fountains for national contractors, a memo issued by the U.S. General Services Administration showed.

The memo was issued past period but media outlets took enactment of it connected Tuesday aft a study from NPR.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Since taking bureau connected January 20, Trump has taken aggregate steps aimed astatine dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs successful the national authorities and backstage sector.

In 1 specified enforcement order, Trump revoked enforcement policies dating arsenic acold backmost arsenic 1965 connected adjacent employment opportunities, biology actions designed to support communities of color, and "workforce balancing" efforts by national contractors based connected race, sex and religion.

The 1965 enactment aimed to extremity discriminatory practices successful hiring and employment connected the portion of U.S. authorities contractors.

The February 15 memo said it was making changes prompted by that enforcement bid from Trump.

KEY QUOTE

The memo stated that "when issuing caller solicitations oregon contracts," civilian agencies should nary longer see the proviso and clause astir the "Prohibition of Segregated Facilities."

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Federal and authorities laws inactive outlaw favoritism and segregation and portion the memo's measurement was symbolic, civilian rights advocates noted it arsenic portion of a inclination with Trump's policymaking.

They said that immoderate measurement that whitethorn springiness the cognition of turning backmost the timepiece connected radical segregation was not welcome.

"While segregation is inactive illegal, this alteration sends a CLEAR message," civilian rights lawyer Ben Crump said.

CONTEXT

Rights advocates accidental measures Trump is trying to dismantle aimed to uplift marginalized groups and addressed the continued effects of humanities and generational inequity.

Trump and his allies support his actions by saying his orders purpose to region what they telephone favoritism against different Americans, including achromatic radical and men.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh successful Washington; Additional reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Saad Sayeed)