Today, evolving efforts to bridge the digital divide in America are expanding our internet infrastructure. Many local governments take a holistic approach that includes digital equity and inclusion in broadband planning. One example is Harris County, Texas, which has partnered with US Ignite to develop a data-driven broadband strategy that explicitly incorporates digital equity considerations.
This localized approach aligns with federal funding objectives under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) ’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and the Digital Equity Act. However, many observers ask whether these efforts may come under scrutiny due to evolving political rhetoric and policy changes surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) under the new federal administration.
Harris County and US Ignite: A Model for Digital Inclusion
In 2023, Harris County, home to more than 4.7 million residents, launched a comprehensive broadband planning effort in partnership with US Ignite, a nonprofit that supports smart community development. This collaboration focused on understanding infrastructure gaps, affordability barriers, and digital skills needs across economically diverse and historically underserved communities.
The initiative used geospatial data, community engagement, and socioeconomic indicators to identify areas needing targeted intervention. It defined digital equity as internet access, device availability, affordability, and the skills required to use technology effectively.
The Harris County model aligns with NTIA guidance, which mandates that BEAD-funded projects include a digital equity component, especially in reaching out to low-income households, aging populations, rural residents, and communities of color.
The New DEI Directive: A Policy Shift?
In contrast to the NTIA’s guidance, the current federal administration has recently signaled a shift in how to implement DEI across agencies. A March 2025 executive order reportedly directs federal departments to “review and revise internal DEI mandates” to avoid what it refers to as “preferential practices based on identity rather than merit.”
This policy change has led to ambiguity about whether specific DEI initiatives—especially those tied to public funding—may face limitations, particularly if challenged as discriminatory or politically motivated. The order’s language emphasizes “equal opportunity under the law” but curtails programmatic mandates that may be interpreted as favoring specific demographic groups without direct justification in law or data.
Are Broadband Equity Initiatives at Risk?
Currently, no federal guidance explicitly restricts broadband programs that include digital equity as a component. The Digital Equity Act, which was passed with bipartisan support in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, remains entirely in effect. It provides $2.75 billion for planning and implementation grants, much of which targets marginalized communities.
Legal analysts and broadband policy experts point out that digital equity can be ordered around neutral, outcomes-based data, such as income, geography, and access levels, rather than protected classes alone. This framing allows local programs like Harris County’s to remain compliant, even under stricter interpretations of DEI language.
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, commented, “Digital equity is fundamentally about opportunity access, not identity politics. When disconnected, communities have limited access to education, employment, and healthcare—issues that transcend partisan divides.”
Balancing Compliance with Community Needs
Assuring planners are aligning with both local goals and evolving federal guidance, broadband planners are advised to:
- Use evidence-based frameworks: Justify equity strategies using quantitative access, speed, and affordability data.
- Avoid identity-exclusive language: Focus on digital needs and economic indicators over race or gender classifications.
- Highlight economic impact: Frame broadband as a tool for workforce participation and local economic development.
- Maintain transparent processes: Document how equity goals are developed and measured through community input and public data.
These steps help preserve program funding and mitigate political risks associated with DEI-centric language.
A Narrowing, Not a Closing Path
Digital equity and inclusion are essential parts of our national broadband deployment strategy; they are no longer just legal requirements. As these programs become increasingly scrutinized, Local efforts like Harris County’s partnership with US Ignite show that inclusive strategies can thrive when they are built on a foundation of data, transparency, and sound economic reasoning.
