WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Congressional Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus, issued the following statement after the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel released an opinion attempting to dismantle Minority-Serving Institutions:

"Today's baseless opinion from the Justice Department is wrong, plain and simple. Donald Trump and his Administration are once again attacking the institutions that expand opportunity for millions of aspiring students of all backgrounds. The opinion ignores federal law, including Congress' bipartisan support for our nation's Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Minority-Serving Institutions, including more than 100 MSIs in California alone.

"Every student deserves access to the American Dream. This unconscionable move by this Administration will harm millions of students who deserve better."

MSIs are Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and/or Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Historically, these programs have been authorized on a bipartisan basis in law.

All MSIs, including HSIs, are accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that serve millions of students across the country. More than 800 colleges and universities are MSIs in the U.S., and no court of law has yet issued an opinion finding these programs unconstitutional. As chair of the Senate HSI Caucus, Senator Padilla has led the fight opposing the Trump Administration's attacks against MSIs. Senator Padilla has led multiple letters stronglyopposing the Education Department's decision to rescind $350 million in funding from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). In September, Padilla and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas-20), co-chair of the House HSI Caucus, issued a statement slamming this decision. Additionally, Padilla and Castro previously condemned the Trump Administration's letter declaring that they will no longer defend the $350 million HSI annual grant program in court, effectively ending the program.

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