A Trump-backed legal group has filed a scathing civil rights complaint against Henry Ford Health, accusing the prominent hospital system of using illegal racial and gender quotas in life-or-death medical decisions, including organ transplants.
At a Glance
- America First Legal files complaint accusing Henry Ford Health of illegal discrimination
- Complaint alleges racial and gender quotas in hiring, patient care, and transplant decisions
- Hospital has received nearly $1 billion in federal DEI-tied funding since 2021
- Trump’s HHS may investigate, following similar cases at Johns Hopkins and Cincinnati Children’s
- Hospital also criticized for offering gender transition care to minors
Race-Based Medicine? Legal Firestorm Erupts
America First Legal, the conservative legal group launched by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Henry Ford Health. The group accuses the Detroit-based hospital network of illegal discrimination through its aggressive “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs—allegedly using racial and gender identity to influence hiring, care delivery, and even access to organ transplants.
The filing was submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and claims Henry Ford Health has operated under a “system-wide DEI mandate” while receiving nearly $1 billion in federal funding since 2021. As reported by Fox News, the complaint could trigger sweeping investigations from HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, particularly under a second Trump administration.
Watch Fox News’ report on the controversy at Woke Hospital in Crosshairs.
“DEI” or Discrimination?
The AFL filing accuses Henry Ford Health of violating both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These laws ban discrimination based on race or sex in federally funded health services. AFL alleges that HFH’s policies amount to “unconstitutional and ideologically driven practices,” including prioritizing patients based on racial identity in life-saving procedures.
One statement in the complaint warns: “Failure to act in the face of such egregious and well-documented violations would not only signal tolerance of unlawful discrimination but would undermine the federal government’s duty to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund it,” as quoted by America First Legal.
HFH’s own diversity officer, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, has publicly declared that “diversity, equity, and inclusion are simply not enough,” suggesting deeper ideological commitments within the health system, according to her remarks cited by Fox News.
Transgender Care Under Scrutiny
The complaint also targets Henry Ford Health’s treatment protocols for transgender youth. AFL and allied groups claim the hospital system has provided puberty blockers and gender surgeries to minors—practices under increasing review in European countries and now under fire in conservative U.S. states.
Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, said in a public statement, “Henry Ford Health is prioritizing politics over patients.” His organization has launched an ad campaign condemning HFH’s “woke” policies and demanding a rollback of all race- and gender-based practices.
A viral post from Rapid Response 47 on X (formerly Twitter) amplified the controversy, accusing the hospital of pushing “radical ideology over science.”
What Happens Next?
Sources say HHS investigations—like those already opened into Johns Hopkins and Cincinnati Children’s—could expand dramatically. According to Do No Harm’s legal team, these probes are part of a broader crackdown on DEI-driven practices that allegedly violate federal civil rights statutes.
As legal scrutiny intensifies, Henry Ford Health could face suspension of federal funding, reputational fallout, or even DOJ involvement. While the hospital has not issued a formal response, the charges have ignited a nationwide debate over the line between inclusion and discrimination.
With $1 billion in taxpayer funds and medical ethics at stake, the nation is watching what happens next.
