The Trump administration has recently made accusations alleging that federal education grants meant for children of immigrants and students from low-income backgrounds are being diverted to support what it terms a “radical leftwing agenda.” This week, in a significant move, the administration put a hold on over $6 billion designed for various educational programs such as after-school and summer activities, English language classes, and adult literacy initiatives. This sudden pause has left schools and organizations that run summer camps and after-hours childcare programs grappling with uncertainty about whether they can continue their operations in the coming months.
The Office of Management and Budget announced on Wednesday that an initial review of the funds revealed they were partially used to aid immigrants residing in the United States without legal status and for promoting LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Despite these findings, no conclusive determinations about the future of individual grants have been declared.
The Office of Management and Budget criticized what it described as the misuse of these grants to support a leftist agenda. Specific instances cited include New York schools allegedly using funds intended for English language education to back organizations that support undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, in Washington state, the money was reportedly directed towards scholarships for immigrants without legal status, funds which the administration claims were meant for American students. Additionally, funds went towards a seminar focusing on “queer resistance in the arts.”
Neither New York nor Washington state officials were immediately available to comment on these claims.
Advocates for low-income and immigrant children have denounced these decisions as part of the administration’s broader immigration crackdown. The freeze impacts two federal programs approved by Congress aimed at enhancing the English proficiency of students newly learning the language and assisting migrant children who relocate with their families due to work.
School districts typically utilize the $890 million allocated for English learners to train teacher aides, manage summer schools, and employ family liaisons fluent in the parents’ native languages. Moreover, the $375 million designated for migrant education frequently funds traveling teachers who cater to students based on their residential locations.
By highlighting selective examples, the administration seems to be grouping all English-learning students with undocumented immigrants, explained Amaya Garcia of New America, a think tank in Washington, D.C. However, according to the Migration Policy Institute, most English learners in U.S. public schools are actually born in the country.
“The administration is framing this issue incorrectly,” asserted Margarita Machado-Casas from the National Association of Bilingual Educators. She emphasized that the discourse is diverting attention from over 5.3 million English learners who face potential harm from these funding decisions, noting that these students speak a multitude of languages, not just Spanish.
Despite students’ legal status, states cannot deny public education to those in the country unlawfully per the 1982 Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe. Challenges to this ruling have been debated in conservative political circles, particularly in states like Oklahoma, Texas, and Tennessee.
While the situation remains unresolved, states and school districts are seeking clarity on the implications of these withheld funds. In Oregon, for instance, losing grants for English learners and migrant students would significantly hinder the state’s goals to improve academic achievements across multilingual student groups, promote language diversity, and offer resources to at-risk students, according to Liz Merah from the state’s Department of Education.