The U.S. Department of Education moved to drop its appeal of a federal court order that blocked a sweeping anti‑DEI Dear Colleague letter, effectively pausing an aggressive enforcement effort against race‑based programs on campuses. The department’s joint motion to dismiss the appeal follows a preliminary injunction issued last August and sustained legal pressure from the American Federation of Teachers and other plaintiffs. AFT president Randi Weingarten framed the decision as a reversal of an attempt to upend decades of civil‑rights practice in education. Colleges and K–12 systems that had scrambled to comply with the guidance now face regulatory uncertainty but immediate regulatory pressure has eased. Administrators and legal counsels in higher education said the dismissal reduces the near‑term risk of federal funding cuts tied to DEI programs, though the policy fight may re‑emerge in other forms through rulemaking or targeted investigations. The episode underscores how litigation, judicial injunctions, and stakeholder pushback can reshape federal enforcement priorities and buy institutions breathing room.