Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general who led the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, resigned on November 5, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced, making her the first senior DOJ official reported to leave since Democrats swept the House and Senate in last week's midterm elections.

"Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months," Blanche wrote on X, thanking her for her service.

A Contentious 18 Months

Dhillon's tenure reshaped the division dramatically, according to the Associated Press. Under her leadership, the division scrapped police-reform settlements and investigations inherited from prior administrations, and opened new probes into universities the Trump administration viewed as improperly prioritizing diversity and inclusion in admissions and hiring.

The moves drew sharp criticism from civil rights advocates and former division staff. One former division attorney, quoted by the AP, called Dhillon "the most destructive, lawless and hateful" head of the division in its history — a characterization Dhillon's defenders reject, pointing to her framing of the changes as a return to colorblind enforcement of civil rights law.

"THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME."

For her part, Dhillon described her tenure in positive terms. "Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honor of a lifetime," she wrote, adding that she plans to return to private legal practice.

More Departures Expected

Coverage of Dhillon's exit has tied its timing to the midterms, with some reports noting the administration is bracing for a change in congressional control when the new Congress convenes in January. Bloomberg Law has reported that other political appointees across the administration could leave before the end of the year.

Dhillon's departure follows a string of other exits from the department in recent days, including the resignation of a top national security lawyer, as the administration works through a short lame-duck congressional session focused on a December 11 government funding deadline.

No successor for the Civil Rights Division has yet been named. The division's day-to-day work is expected to continue under its existing deputy leadership until a permanent pick is confirmed.