Grand Canyon Times

Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, expressed his views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs following an announcement by Arizona Superintendent Tom Horne. "DEI is a scam," Cortes said after Horne revealed that schools must adhere to new federal guidance ending DEI programs to maintain federal funding. Cortes made this statement to the Grand Canyon Times on April 11.

"DEI is a scam," said Cortes, Founder of League of American Workers. "It functions as the opposite of its supposed goal, and excludes people based solely on race and sex. DEI has become a weapons against white men, especially, in critical areas like education and employment."

Arizona State Superintendent Tom Horne announced that schools in the state will receive new directives from the U.S. Department of Education. According to the Arizona Department of Education, these directives require schools to confirm compliance with federal civil rights laws and avoid implementing DEI programs. Schools that do not comply risk losing federal funding. Horne emphasized that this policy aligns with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or ethnicity, arguing that DEI programs contradict these principles.

Horne reiterated his commitment to eliminating such programs from Arizona schools and stressed that public schools must affirm their respect for students as individuals on their School Report Cards. The new guidance upholds the 14th Amendment and anti-discrimination laws and requires schools to attest to their compliance by April 14 to continue receiving federal funding.

"The 14th amendment to the Constitution says the same thing. By contrast, the use of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs does just the opposite and promotes racial discrimination. That has no place in education or society, and I have been working diligently to get it out of schools in Arizona," Horne said.

President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 20, 2025, titled "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing." This order mandates terminating all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs within federal agencies or any institution receiving federal funding. It also requires agencies to report a list of all employees in DEI and "environmental justice" positions to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget within 60 days.

Steve Cortes serves as president of the League of American Workers—a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group—and senior political advisor to Catholic Vote. According to Cortes Investigates, he is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance as well as a former commentator for Fox News and CNN.