The U.S. Department of Justice announced July 7 that it has closed its review of a race-based grant program administered by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
According to a press release, the DOJ’s review examined MDH’s “Capacity Strengthening Initiative” grant program under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and other DEI-related criteria in programs receiving federal financial assistance.
The grant program was created to help organizations “serving people of color, American Indians, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people living with disabilities.”
The program, among other things, prioritized organizations “led by populations of color” and directed funding toward organizations in counties with higher populations of “Black or African American, nonwhite Latino(a), LGBTQIA+, and disability communities.”
“Organizations eligible to receive grant funding under this section include: organizations or entities that work with diverse communities such as people of color, American Indians, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people with disabilities in metro and rural communities,” said the statute governing the program.
The Justice Department argued that these criteria violated Title VI protections by using race, color, and national origin as factors in distributing federal funds.
The Minnesota Legislature repealed the grant program during the 2026 legislative session. According to the DOJ, this happened after it alerted MDH to a compliance review of the program.
“Recipients of federal dollars cannot decide who benefits from those funds on the basis of race, color, or national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department appreciates that the State of Minnesota has recognized this foundational principle and has repealed the statute governing the program.”
The compliance review was conducted by the Department’s Civil Rights Division, which is responsible for enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination.
The division states that its mission is to protect the “civil and constitutional rights of Americans” through the enforcement of federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws.
Alpha News reached out to MDH for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Rachael Van Rossum
Rachael Van Rossum is a journalist and author who studies political science in the Twin Cities. She previously interned with the Illinois House of Representatives and recently published her debut fantasy novel "The Hellburner of Sovi." Rachael is passionate about telling compelling stories and bringing to life the voices of political figures, athletes, and members of her community through engaging writing. She is the Alpha News journalism fellow for the summer of 2026.
