By Civitas
Special to the AFRO
In February 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth executed one of the most alarming actions in modern American military history: he fired the top Judge Advocate General (JAG) officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force. These individuals are not figureheads. They are the legal backbone of military justice, charged with defending the Constitution within the armed forces, ensuring compliance with the Geneva Conventions and prosecuting war crimes.
The dismissals were not rooted in misconduct or incompetence but ideology. Hegseth justified the firings by accusing the JAGs of being “roadblocks to orders given by a commander in chief,” signaling that legal fidelity is now subordinate to political loyalty. He appointed his personal attorney, Timothy Parlatore, to lead a sweeping overhaul of the JAG Corps, one that includes weakening rules of engagement and relaxing enforcement of war crimes statutes.
If you think this is just a shake-up of internal military protocol—think again.
This is a constitutional crisis cloaked in military restructuring. And its impact will fall hardest, as always, on Black, Brown, disabled, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and poor communities—those for whom the law has often been the only protection against abuse by the state.
The JAG Corps: America’s last military conscience
The JAG officers are the military’s legal guardrails—nonpartisan by design, rooted in centuries of precedent. They are responsible for:
- Prosecuting violations of military and international law
- Advising commanders on lawful orders
- Investigating war crimes
- Safeguarding due process in courts-martial
- Preventing the politicization of armed force
Firing them en masse—without cause—is an act of constitutional vandalism. It severs the link between command and accountability. It signals to every general, colonel and commander: the law is now optional.
This move is not just about who gives legal advice. It’s about whether the law still governs military behavior at all.
The coup by executive order
The firings came just weeks before President Trump issued a sweeping directive: the executive order on “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” (April 29, 2025). Framed as a return to fairness, it effectively outlaws consideration of race, gender, disability and veteran status in all federal hiring and contracting.
Together, these actions represent a strategic dismantling of both civilian and military legal protections—a two-pronged offensive against constitutional constraints.
- On one front: the JAG purge removes legal brakes from military power.
- On the other: the executive order removes equity protections from civilian governance.
- The goal: a streamlined authoritarian state with no legal dissent.
The end of civil rights by design
The executive order disables every meaningful civil rights tool within the federal government:
- Minority-owned businesses will lose access to targeted procurement opportunities.
- Women in STEM and federal leadership will see pipelines disappear.
- Veterans with service-connected disabilities may be deprioritized in hiring and benefits.
- Disabled civilians face a rollback of ADA-centered outreach and accommodations.
All of this is framed in the language of “merit”—a term long used to mask systemic exclusion. But without affirmative protections, meritocracy simply becomes a mechanism to protect privilege.
This is not reform. This is a rollback of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the GI Bill, and the Voting Rights Act—all by stealth.
Why minority communities should be alarmed
The implications for Black and Brown Americans cannot be overstated. Historically, we have relied on the fragile framework of civil rights law and the slow grind of legal recourse to shield us from state overreach.
Now:
- The military no longer has independent legal advisors.
- The federal government no longer recognizes the structural barriers we face.
- Courts are being stacked with ideologues.
- Protestors are increasingly labeled “insurrectionists.”
- Surveillance is expanding in vulnerable communities.
This is how democracies die—not by sudden collapse, but by a series of legal and bureaucratic assassinations.
A glimpse into the near future
Imagine the headlines six months from now:
- “Protesters Detained in Military-Run Facilities Under Homeland Emergency Protocol”
- “Federal Contracts Now 99% White-Owned, Black Entrepreneurs Shut Out”
- “Veterans with PTSD Denied Priority Access to Care in Shift to Merit-Based Systems”
- “Whistleblowers Jailed as ‘Security Threats’ After Reporting Misconduct”
This is not dystopian fiction. This is the logical end of removing legal oversight and civil protections simultaneously. And make no mistake—Black communities will be the canary in this constitutional coal mine.
The Supreme Court and the final domino
On May 15, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear United States v. Alliance for Equal Rights,
(https://americanallianceforequalrights.org/our-cases/) a case that could declare all race-conscious government action unconstitutional.
If the Court sides with the Alliance:
- Affirmative action will be criminalized across government, education and contracting.
- The legal basis for civil rights enforcement will collapse.
- The administration’s executive orders will not only stand—they will become federal precedent.
The 6-3 Court, already hostile to affirmative action, may well legalize a vision of America where historical context is erased and structural inequality is protected by law.
What must be done now
1. Mobilize Legal Resistance
Civil rights organizations must file immediate legal challenges. Congressional allies must demand hearings. State attorneys general must prepare state-level protections.
2. Fortify community networks
Prepare for shortages, power disruptions and surveillance. Stock emergency food, medicine and water. Build mutual aid groups, security teams, and digital safety plans.
3. Invest in Black media and messaging
Only we will tell the truth about what’s happening. Support trusted outlets. Use social media wisely. Educate your community.
4. Think in generations, not news cycles
What we do now will determine if the next generation lives in a republic—or in a regime. Be strategic. Be long-term. Be unshakable.
Conclusion: The law was the last line. Now it’s us.
The firing of the JAGs. The end of DEI. The weaponization of executive power. These are not isolated events. They are a coordinated campaign to replace constitutional democracy with command-driven authoritarianism.
For communities of color, this isn’t theoretical—it’s existential. We’ve seen what happens when the law fails to protect us. Now, the law is being actively redesigned to exclude us.
We cannot wait for the next election. We cannot wait for saviors. We are the firewall now.
If this republic is to survive, it will be because ordinary people refused to be silenced. Because we defended each other. Because we prepared. Because we stood in truth when the state stood in shadow.
History is watching. So are our children. And they will ask: What did you do when the Constitution was court-martialed?
Let our answer be: We fought.
Drawing inspiration from the original authors of the Federalist papers’ use of “Publius” (referring to Publius Valerius Publicola, a founder of the Roman Republic), we use “Civitas” as our pseudonym.“Civitas” is Latin for “citizenship” or “community of citizens,” emphasizing both the rights and responsibilities of citizens in maintaining a constitutional republic. This pseudonym reflects our focus on civic engagement and the collective effort required to preserve democratic institutions in the face of current challenges.