Gallego, Kelly, Stanton, Ansari Press Education Department to Continue Funding Hispanic-Serving and Minority-Serving Institutions

WASHINGTON - Today, Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, along with Representatives Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), condemned the Trump administration's recent decision to end grants for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

READ MORE: Senador Gallego lidera alerta a gobierno de Trump sobre recortes a universidades que atienden a hispanos (La Opinión)

"These programs have long provided critical resources to colleges and universities that serve historically underserved students, and their loss would have far-reaching consequences for institutions, communities, and students across the country," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. "The abrupt nature of this decision has created significant uncertainty and threatens to undermine decades of progress supported by bipartisan action in Congress."

Colleges and universities can qualify for HSI status if at least 25 percent of their full-time undergraduate enrollment is Hispanic. That designation makes them eligible to compete for federal grants and funding opportunities designed to support underrepresented students' success.

The administration's decision will disproportionately affect eleven HSI's in Arizona, which is home to 24 HSIs - including Arizona State University and the University of Arizona - that collectively enroll nearly 90,000 Hispanic students. Federal HSI funding has been key to helping these schools provide student services, academic development, and campus infrastructure that help more Hispanic students access higher education. Without continued investment, that progress is at risk.

"The need for such investment remains clear. Only 21 percent of Latino high school graduates in Arizona enroll in a four-year college within a year of graduation, compared to 38 percent of white students. This gap represents thousands of students each year who are missing the opportunity to pursue higher education and the economic mobility that comes with it," the lawmakers continued. "Continued support for HSIs is critical to addressing these disparities, ensuring that institutions have the resources to recruit, retain, and graduate students from historically underserved communities."

"The Department has indicated that approximately 350 million dollars in discretionary funds will be reprogrammed into other initiatives. However, these funds were expressly authorized by Congress to strengthen MSIs, and disregarding their intended use creates serious uncertainty for the institutions that depend on them," the lawmakers concluded. "We respectfully urge the Department to continue funding discretionary MSI and HSI programs in Fiscal Year 2025, or at a minimum, provide continuation support while working with Congress on an alternative framework that both meets constitutional requirements and maintains support for the institutions that need it most."

Read the full letter HERE.

9/26/25