The Trump administration recently announced it will not support a long-standing grant program aimed at helping colleges with large Hispanic student populations. The Justice Department believes the funding is unconstitutional and backs a lawsuit challenging the program. This lawsuit argues that grants for colleges where at least 25% of undergraduates are Hispanic should be eliminated.
The program began in 1998 to address the fact that Latino students often had lower college attendance and graduation rates compared to their white peers. Officials from the Justice Department claim the current setup gives “unconstitutional advantages” based on race or ethnicity.
Tennessee and an anti-affirmative action group, Students for Fair Admissions, filed the lawsuit. They argue that many public universities serve Hispanic students but don’t qualify for the grants due to the specific eligibility requirements. According to the lawsuit, this restricts access to millions in funding that could benefit these schools.
The Justice Department’s decision stems from a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that deemed “outright racial balancing” unconstitutional. Their letter indicates they view parts of the grant program in a similar light.
The Hispanic-Serving Institution program currently supports over 500 colleges, with Congress allocating about $350 million for 2024. This funding is crucial. It can be used for various improvements, from campus facilities to academic programs. For instance, colleges can enhance science labs or improve infrastructure, ultimately benefiting all students, regardless of race.
In contrast, former President Joe Biden made support for Hispanic-serving colleges a priority during his time in office. He signed an executive order to boost funding and establish a new advisory board. However, President Trump revoked this order on his first day in office while simultaneously proposing significant funding cuts for the Education Department.
In response to the lawsuit, a national association representing Hispanic-serving universities has intervened, expressing concerns that the federal government might not adequately defend their interests in court. They believe the grants are constitutional and essential for leveling the playing field since their institutions enroll about 67% of Latino undergraduates in the U.S. Despite serving diverse student bodies—like Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, which is 28% Hispanic and 40% white—the educational disparities in funding remain.
The Justice Department has occasionally refrained from defending laws it finds unconstitutional, such as when the Obama administration rejected the Defense of Marriage Act. Similarly, Trump previously chose not to defend the Affordable Care Act during his presidency.
In summary, the legal battle over funding for Hispanic-serving colleges underscores ongoing debates about race, equity, and funding in education. While the Trump administration seeks to limit funding under the belief that it promotes discrimination, advocates argue that these grants are crucial for supporting underrepresented students and improving educational outcomes across the board.
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