Columbia and other universities at risk as court lifts block on DEI orders: Legal battle shifts to remanded proceedings

A federal appeals court on February 6 allowed President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at federally funded institutions to move forward, reversing a lower court’s injunction that had paused their enforcement. The ruling enables federal agencies to resume reviewing grants and potentially withdraw funding linked to equity-focused programmes at universities nationwide.

According to The Columbia Spectator, the decision carries direct implications for Columbia University, which has already modified DEI-related language, policies, and web content following earlier federal directives.

In a published opinion, Chief Judge Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit wrote that although the executive orders are “undeniably opaque,” they likely do not violate the Constitution.

The court ruled that the district court erred in halting enforcement.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Association of University Professors and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, along with Baltimore city officials. Plaintiffs argued that the orders infringed on First Amendment protections and were unconstitutionally vague. The appeals court acknowledged concerns about vagueness but held that the president has broad authority to determine federal funding priorities.

The ruling does not automatically cancel specific university programs. Instead, it permits federal agencies to review and potentially terminate grants tied to equity-related initiatives.

According to The Columbia Spectator, the Trump administration temporarily revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in March 2025, including $250 million linked to National Institutes of Health grants. Much of the funding was later restored after the university entered into a $221 million agreement with the federal government.

Although Columbia was not included in a November 2025 list of 38 universities facing proposed suspension from a State Department research partnership program over DEI hiring practices, it has reportedly been identified as a “moderate to high risk” institution in a preliminary Army review examining Pentagon-funded tuition assistance eligibility.

Following Trump’s January 20 executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” Columbia altered multiple public-facing DEI webpages.

Archived pages from several schools show mission statements and program descriptions that are no longer accessible.

Columbia Athletics also removed its transgender inclusion policy shortly before the NCAA announced compliance with the federal directive barring athletes “assigned male at birth” from participating in women’s championships.

The Spectator reported that researchers working in areas such as LGBTQ health and equity-focused studies experienced funding disruptions.

Some grants were temporarily terminated before being restored under revised conditions, compressing project timelines and creating uncertainty.

The Fourth Circuit has remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings. Meanwhile, separate legal challenges to the administration’s anti-DEI measures continue in other jurisdictions.

For universities that depend heavily on federal research funding, the ruling renews legal and financial uncertainty surrounding diversity-related programming.