A public health advocacy group has raised concerns about a recently launched 'DEI Watchlist' by a conservative organization aimed at identifying federal workers who may not align with President Donald Trump's agenda. The list, created by the American Accountability Foundation, claims to be 'exposing the unelected career staff driving radical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government.'
The DEI Watchlist includes 'dossiers' with names, photos, some salaries, and other details of at least 57 federal employees, many of whom are employed at public health agencies under the US Department of Health and Human Services. A significant number of the individuals listed are women and Black people.
The website has been online for approximately a week and is part of the organization's efforts to identify federal workers within various government departments. The American Accountability Foundation has previously compiled similar watchlists for the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security. The group has also been involved in advising Project 2025, a conservative initiative focused on reshaping the federal government.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, has criticized the DEI Watchlist, describing it as a tool used to threaten, intimidate, and scare individuals. He emphasized that the employees listed do not deserve such treatment and labeled the initiative as racist.
On the other hand, Tom Jones, the president of the American Accountability Foundation, dismissed claims that the list poses a threat. Jones stated that the change in language from 'targets' to 'dossiers' was merely for stylistic reasons and accused critics of attempting to suppress differing viewpoints by misrepresenting the purpose of the list.
