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By Ryan Patrick Jones
(Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Monday blocked the firing of 19 intelligence officers who had worked on diversity, equality, inclusion and accessibility programs that President Donald Trump ordered eliminated, according to their attorney.
Kevin Carroll, who represents the Central Intelligence Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence employees, said that Judge Anthony Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia ruled the officers have the right to appeal their terminations to CIA Director John Ratcliffe or Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The judge also ruled that they have the right to be considered for other jobs in the intelligence community, Carroll said.
Carroll said the judge ordered that the employees remain on administrative leave with full pay and benefits, while the legal process and their appeals to the directors play out.
The plaintiffs are among 58 CIA and ODNI officers who were placed on paid administrative leave because they had been assigned to DEIA programs.
The plaintiffs include some CIA personnel who have worked for the spy agency for nine or 10 years and one who would have lost their job a year short of qualifying for their pension, said Carroll.
The ruling was expected to apply to the other 39 CIA and ODNI personnel who did not join the suit but, like the plaintiffs, face termination even though they were assigned to DEIA programs on a temporary basis.
The Central Intelligence Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump in January ordered federal agencies to shut down DEI programs and barred federal contractors from adopting diversity policies that may be discriminatory. He also directed agencies to investigate DEI policies adopted by companies, schools and nonprofit organizations.
DEI programs have been part of workplace efforts to ensure fairer representation for groups seen as historically marginalized. Advocacy groups say DEI programs help uplift marginalized communities by addressing historic inequities. Trump and his allies say the programs are discriminatory and erode merit-based decision making.
(Reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Sandra Maler)
