A high-stakes legal battle has erupted in Washington as a former federal official accuses the Trump administration of carrying out a racially motivated "purge" of independent government agencies.
Alvin Brown, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, alleging he was fired specifically because of his race.
The numbers cited in the complaint are staggering.
Lawyers from the Democracy Forward Foundation claim that approximately 75% of Black officials at independent agencies have been terminated under the current administration.
In contrast, only about 27% of white officials in similar roles have been removed.
The lawsuit argues this nearly three-to-one ratio proves the firings are about skin color rather than just political party lines.
Brown was fired in May 2025, despite being part of a board where two other white Democrats were allowed to keep their jobs.
He was the only Black member on the board at the time and was replaced by John DeLeeuw, who is white.
The lawsuit points to a broader pattern of dismissals across the Federal Reserve, the Library of Congress, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
According to the filing, these removals align with the President's public attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
Brown’s legal team argues that by systematically removing Black Senate-confirmed appointees and replacing them with white nominees, the administration is violating the Fifth Amendment.
As the U.S. District Court reviews these explosive claims, the administration maintains that the firings are part of a standard effort to install leadership that aligns with the President's agenda.
However, for Brown and his supporters, the "merit-based" explanation doesn't hold up against a 75% termination rate for Black leadership.
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