Harmeet Dhillon will soon leave the Trump Justice Department. She's reportedly resigning and plans to return to private practice in California. Dhillon was a top official in the Justice Department, serving as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She was a firebrand, always scanning for leftist overreach, as she’s done in numerous First Amendment cases before her ascension at the DOJ. She was recently interviewed in CBS News’ shoddy 60 Minutes segment on immigration, where she was one of the points of the lance regarding the legal action toward illegal voting. This is a huge loss (via Fox News):
Today, I accepted the resignation of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division with conviction the past 18 months. She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favor. The Department is grateful for her dedicated public service, and we wish her every success in her future endeavors.
— Attorney General Todd Blanche (@AGToddBlanche) November 5, 2026
🚨 BREAKING: Harmeet Dhillon is resigning as head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, according to Fox News. Dhillon has led the division since April 2025. https://t.co/gVhcuiWzyD
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 5, 2026
🚨 BREAKING: Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, has RESIGNED, per Fox She’ll reportedly be returning to California to work in her private practice. Great job transforming the Civil Rights division, @HarmeetKDhillon. Can’t wait to see what’s next. https://t.co/Q3gmV7B3uz
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 5, 2026
BREAKING: Harmeet Dhillon resigns as DOJ assistant attorney general for civil rights -FOX
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 5, 2026
#BREAKING: Harmeet Dhillon just resigned as the DOJ's civil rights chief, Fox says.
— Insider Wire (@InsiderWire) November 5, 2026
EXCLUSIVE: Harmeet Dhillon plans to step down from her role leading the Justice Department’s civil rights unit, marking the first senior DOJ official to resign following Democrats’ massive midterm wins. https://t.co/R0f4rhbxNU
— Bloomberg Law (@BLaw) November 5, 2026
Harmeet Dhillon resigned Thursday as the Department of Justice's Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, sources told Fox News.
Dhillon, who assumed office in April 2025, ran the Civil Rights Division. She is leaving after President Donald Trump's Republican Party lost the House and Senate in this week's midterm elections.
In the leadup to the midterms, Dhillon defended the Trump administration's investigation into noncitizen voters.
More from Bloomberg:
Dhillon, who has vastly transformed the Civil Rights Division since her Senate confirmation in April 2025, has told allies that she would be leaving the department after the midterm elections, according to four people familiar. Her official announcement is expected as soon as Thursday, two of the individuals said.
Dhillon and DOJ spokespeople didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The staunch Trump ally leaves behind a Civil Rights Division that’s shifted toward conservative causes, including religious liberties and the formation of a Second Amendment section.
Following the mass exodus of career attorneys from the division, she’s recruited dozens of new attorneys with backgrounds steeped in conservative advocacy to work on litigation over state voter rolls, immigration, and alleged antisemitism on college campuses.
Former officials said the department is bracing for multiple other top political appointees to exit in the lame duck period before the New Year. Dhillon would be the second Senate-confirmed DOJ official to depart in recent weeks, following Patrick Davis’ resignation from the Office of Legislative Affairs last month.
No doubt, we'll see her again, as she'll likely be subpoenaed as part of the House Democrats' revenge tour come January.
She @HarmeetKDhillon should still be subpoenaed on her reckless behavior at DOJ
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) November 5, 2026
We'll update if any new developments arise, but this is a blow for the Trump DOJ.