DOJ Warns Buncombe County Over Reparations Push
The U.S. Department of Justice hit Buncombe County, North Carolina with a heavy warning—saying their bold move on reparations might be stepping over the legal line.
In a letter dated September 4, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division let it be known that the feds are watching, and they’re not playing. According to the letter, some of the 38 recommendations made by the Asheville-Buncombe Community Reparations Commission could violate federal civil rights laws, including the Fair Housing Act, Title VI, Title VII, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
$2.9 MILLION ON THE LINE
Local leaders in Buncombe County had previously green-lit $2.9 million to go toward reparations efforts aimed at addressing systemic racism. These include changes across criminal justice, education, health, housing, and economic development—with a heavy focus on Black residents.
But now the DOJ is saying: “Not so fast.”
They’re keeping an eye on whether the county adopts any of these recommendations—and made it crystal clear that they’re ready to launch investigations and enforce federal civil rights protections to the fullest.
READ THE LETTER:
COMMUNITY DIVIDED: JUSTICE OR DISCRIMINATION?
Some argue the reparations focus favors one race and could create new divides in an already tense society. Others, especially Black residents and allies, say this is a long-overdue step to repair generational harm done by racist policies and institutions.
Meanwhile, the Asheville City Council is set to review the report on Tuesday, September 9, but they’re moving cautiously. The DOJ’s letter went straight to Buncombe County Commissioners, and Asheville’s reps say they don’t plan to clap back with a response—at least not yet.
The Community Reparations Commission was created in 2022, with hopes of paving a path toward justice.
