LatinoJustice PRLDEF and HACU Welcome Congressional Support to Protect Funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2025
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LatinoJustice PRLDEF and HACU Welcome Congressional Support to Protect Funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions
New York, NY – LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a national civil and human rights organization, and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) have responded to a letter from members of Congress raising concerns over the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to rescind critical federal resources from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
The letter, sent to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, makes clear that her decision to shift hundreds of millions of dollars away from HSIs and other “Minority-Serving” Institutions (MSIs) undermines the nation’s commitment to equity in higher education. Lawmakers called for a federal policy that increases overall investment across the full spectrum of MSIs instead of forcing them into competition over limited resources.
This Congressional statement comes as LatinoJustice PRLDEF, on behalf of HACU, has filed a motion to intervene in Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. U.S. Department of Education, a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Tennessee that seeks to dismantle the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program. The HSI Program, established by Congress in 1992 with bipartisan support, provides vital resources to colleges and universities that enroll large numbers of Latino students.
“We should not pit Minority- Serving Institutions against one another,” said Francisca Fajana, Director of Racial Justice Strategy at LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “Redirecting funds from HSIs and other Minority Serving Institutions not only hurts these schools but directly harms the millions of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students who rely on them for access to affordable, high-quality higher education. LatinoJustice is in this fight to ensure Latino students and students of color are not left behind.”
The Department of Education recently announced a $495 million investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). While LatinoJustice and HACU strongly support investments in HBCUs and TCUs, this announcement came just days after the administration gutted $350 million in discretionary funding that supports HSIs and other MSIs, which includes colleges and universities that serve Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders, Native Americans (in Nontribal Institutions), Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.
“This lawsuit and the administration’s actions are part of a broader effort to roll back advancements in higher education that support all students at Minority-Serving Institutions,” said David Mendez, Interim CEO, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. “HSIs are central to advancing educational opportunity for Latino students as well as their peers from all demographics that attend these schools, which benefits the nation as a whole. We are grateful to Congress for standing with us in rejecting efforts that divide communities and diminish opportunity.”
Today, there are 615 HSIs across the country enrolling 67.3% of all Hispanic undergraduates. More than 5.6 million students of all backgrounds benefit from their programs.
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About LatinoJustice
LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For over 50 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout the country. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.LatinoJustice.org
About HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU programs and services are available to all students, faculty, and staff at HACU-member institutions. The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with offices in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, California and Chicago, Illinois.