NEW YORK, February 3. /TASS/. Employees of the US Department of Education who attended diversity and inclusion courses have been placed on paid leave, NBC reported, citing sources.

The measure is part of President Donald Trump's campaign to crack down on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, they said. At least 55 employees have been furloughed, with the number expected to grow.

During Trump's first presidential term, they attended "a diversity training course encouraged by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos." According to a letter obtained by NBC, they will be denied access to work emails during their leave and will not perform any job duties.

"It looks like they’re entrapping people, because they encouraged people to take these trainings ... and are now maybe using these trainings as a basis to put them on administrative leave," Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, told NBC.

Following his inauguration on January 20, Trump signed a series of executive orders, including shutting down all inclusion and diversity programs within federal agencies and recognizing only two sexes - male and female - in the US.

NBC reported on January 23 that federal employees have been instructed to report colleagues working in positions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies who may have been overlooked by the new administration. Otherwise, they may face consequences.