Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton eliminates DEI policies on MLK Day 2026

TLDR:

• Texas and Florida attorneys general released opinions on MLK Day declaring affirmative action and DEI policies unconstitutional in their states
• Ken Paxton said the holiday timing was intentional to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of colorblind judgment
• More than 180 combined state laws identified as potentially illegal, from park placement to construction quotas
• Both cite 2023 Supreme Court ruling against college affirmative action as basis for broader government crackdown

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended his choice of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies across his state, saying the move honors the civil rights leader’s legacy.

“This action to dismantle DEI in Texas helps fulfill the vision articulated by Martin Luther King Jr. when he dreamed that his children would one day live in a nation where they were judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” Mr. Paxton said Monday.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier released a similar opinion the same day. Together, the Republican officials identified more than 180 state laws they deemed unconstitutional race-based preferences.

Mr. Paxton spotted over 100 “woke state laws” in Texas affecting park locations, clean energy funds and water projects. Mr. Uthmeier found more than 80 Florida laws with minority quotas for boards, contracts and hiring.

Both cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision striking down college affirmative action as justification for a broader crackdown on government programs.

Read more:

• Republican state AGs use MLK holiday to dismantle affirmative action, DEI policies