DOJ Issues Warning to New York City Over Allegations of Racial Discrimination in Housing Policy

New York, NY — January 8, 2026

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon has issued a direct warning to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration, declaring that the Department of Justice will not tolerate discrimination based on skin color in the city's housing policies.

The strongly worded statement, posted on X by Dhillon on January 6, comes in response to controversy surrounding Mamdani's recent appointment of housing activist Cea Weaver as director of the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. Resurfaced videos and deleted social media posts from Weaver have sparked outrage, with critics accusing her of promoting policies that target white homeowners."New York: Consider this your official notice from @TheJusticeDept," Dhillon wrote. "We will NOT tolerate discrimination based on skin color. It is ILLEGAL.

@CivilRights is paying very close attention."In a 2021 video clip that circulated widely on social media, Weaver discussed transitioning property from an "individual good" to a "collective good," stating that this shift would particularly affect "white families" by altering their "relationship to property." Older posts attributed to Weaver reportedly described homeownership as a "weapon of white supremacy" and called for measures to "impoverish the white middle class."

Dhillon, who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division under the Trump administration, emphasized in interviews that federal laws protect all Americans equally. "Just because you're white doesn't mean you have fewer rights in this country," she said on One America News Network. "We all have equal rights, and we will not stand for New York City violating any federal law whatsoever."

Mayor Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist who took office earlier this month, has stood firmly by his appointee. At a news conference on Tuesday, he defended the choice, citing Weaver's longstanding work on tenant rights. "We made the decision to have Cea Weaver serve... to build on the work that she has done to protect tenants across the city," Mamdani said.

Weaver, through the mayor's office, described her past comments as "regretful" but maintained her commitment to equitable housing. Her deleted X account and resurfaced statements have drawn sharp criticism from conservative outlets and figures, while some progressive advocates view the backlash as an attempt to undermine tenant protections.

The episode marks an early test for Mamdani's administration, which has prioritized reviving tenant offices and addressing housing affordability. It also highlights heightened federal scrutiny under the new DOJ leadership, with Dhillon signaling aggressive enforcement against perceived reverse discrimination.

Sources across the political spectrum, including The New York Times, The Washington Examiner, and The Gateway Pundit, reported on the developing story, reflecting divided opinions on Weaver's rhetoric and the DOJ's intervention.

As of publication, neither Mamdani's office nor Weaver has directly responded to Dhillon's notice. The Civil Rights Division has not announced any formal investigation, but observers expect close monitoring of New York City's housing initiatives. 17GEN4.com