A coalition of plaintiffs asked a Maryland judge to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring federal contractors to include anti-DEI contract clauses or risk cancellation. The request seeks a preliminary injunction, arguing the policy creates an “impossible bind” for contractors. In court filings, plaintiffs said the order violates the First and Fifth Amendments and the Administrative Procedure Act, characterizing the clause as a gag rule dressed in contracting language. The case is represented by Democracy Forward and led by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). The litigation builds on earlier DEI-related executive actions and an appeal decision from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that reversed a February 2025 preliminary injunction tied to reporting on “illegal” DEI programs. For campuses and higher education partners that rely on federal contracting relationships, the outcome could reshape DEI compliance requirements—especially during the July 24 deadline for agency leaders to implement contract language.