WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats highlighted President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut funds from minority-serving institutions (MSIs) amid attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in schools. Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono hosted an unofficial hearing with advocates, leaders, and students to discuss the impact of defunding the over 800 MSIs that educate millions of students of color, many from low-income backgrounds or first-generation college attendees.
Hirono criticized the administration’s broader strategy to eliminate DEI initiatives and its ongoing attempts to dismantle the 46-year-old U.S. Department of Education. Trump “has been attacking these programs and is now working to illegally eliminate the programs entirely, not to mention they would like to eliminate the entire federal Department of Education,” she stated.
In September, the department decided to reallocate $350 million from discretionary funds supporting MSIs, labeling the programs for Black, Asian, Indigenous, and Hispanic students as “racially discriminatory.” Following this, the department redirected $495 million to historically Black colleges and universities and tribal colleges.
The Justice Department’s December opinion found several MSI grant programs “unconstitutional.” Education Secretary Linda McMahon agreed, stating the agency was “evaluating the full impact” of this opinion on affected programs.
‘Plainly cruel’
Mike Hoa Nguyen of the University of California, Los Angeles, described MSIs as “the backbone of American higher education.” He highlighted their role in providing crucial pathways to academic success for students of color, particularly those from low-income families or first-generation college attendees. Nguyen emphasized that reprogrammed funds leave MSIs struggling to provide vital services that improve student outcomes, describing the cuts as “plainly cruel.”
Rowena Tomaneng, of Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education, stated that essential programs have been destabilized. “These programs are not supplemental — they are essential to closing equity gaps for first-generation and low-income students,” she said, warning that their loss would undo progress and widen disparities.
Senators send letter to McMahon
The hearing followed a letter by Hirono and other senators urging McMahon to reverse the decision to halt MSI funding. The senators criticized this move as circumventing Congress and setting a dangerous precedent.
Despite these cuts, Trump signed a spending package allocating $79 billion to the Education Department this fiscal year, increasing funding for all Title III and V programs supporting MSIs. Hirono noted, “only Congress can eliminate these programs, and Congress has decided not to do so.” The Education Department did not respond to a comment request.
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