Trump administration boosts HBCU funding after cutting grants for Hispanic-serving colleges

 

The Trump administration has announced a major shift in federal education funding, moving nearly $500 million toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). This one-time increase — a 48% boost for HBCUs and more than a doubling of funds for TCUs — is being covered primarily by cuts to other minority-serving programs.

According to the Education Department, about $350 million has been cut from grants that were reserved for colleges enrolling large numbers of Hispanic students. Officials argue these programs were unconstitutional because eligibility was tied to specific minority enrollment thresholds rather than overall student need or merit.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the changes shift money away from “ineffective and discriminatory programs” and toward initiatives “that support student success.” The department is also channeling $60 million into charter schools and $137 million into American history and civics programs, following an executive action signed by President Trump earlier this year.

Supporters of the move point to Trump’s longstanding efforts to present himself as a champion of HBCUs, noting previous increases in federal support and new White House initiatives. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, warn the cuts reverse decades of bipartisan policy designed to close equity gaps for Latino and other underrepresented students in higher education.

The changes come as the Justice Department declines to defend the Hispanic-Serving Institution grant program in court, citing constitutional concerns raised by Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions, an anti-affirmative-action group. The lawsuit argues that schools missing the “arbitrary” 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold are unfairly excluded from tens of millions of dollars in aid.

In short, the Trump administration is using its expanded spending authority to reorient federal education dollars toward HBCUs, tribal colleges, charter schools, and civics programs — a dramatic reshuffling that could reshape how minority-serving institutions are funded in the future.