The U.S. Department of Justice will not defend funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions like ASU. The University's Latino community said the decision will further challenge the students benefited by the program.
A July 25 letter from the DOJ to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said the HSI program is unconstitutional. The department will not defend the program in court.
The announcement comes as the state of Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions, an organization opposed to race-based admissions decisions, sues the Department of Education over claims that the HSI program is discriminatory against non-Latino students. As this lawsuit continues, University students weigh in on the consequences of eliminating the program.
"The Department of Education cannot discriminate based on race or ethnicity—even when Congress orders it to," the complaint said. "Yet under the Higher Education Act, the Department awards grants to colleges and universities only if they enroll a certain number of Hispanic students."
For a college to be deemed an HSI and gain access to exclusive federal grants, it must reach a Latino full-time equivalent enrollment of at least 25%, alongside other requirements. ASU obtained the title in 2022, according to the University's Office of Inclusive Excellence.
READ MORE: ASU named a Hispanic-Serving Institution by US Department of Education
The University has maintained its HSI designation since 2022, and it has used the grants for projects such as Growing Gardens, Growing Minds: Experiential Learning in Urban Sustainable Agriculture and Ecosystem Science in the 2025 fiscal year.
The DOJ decision did not go unnoticed by Arizona legislators. Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona's 4th Congressional District shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, arguing for the program's importance.
In a written statement, Mónica Villalobos, the president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said HSIs provide vital workforce development opportunities to their communities.
"Education serves as the great equalizer and is the most direct path to higher paying jobs," Villalobos said. "Without skilled labor, businesses cannot bid or complete contracts to grow Arizona's economy."
The University said in a written statement that it will continue to provide an inclusive learning environment.
"While the federal government determines how to proceed, we will continue to advance serving every learner ready to learn from any family," a University spokesperson said in a written statement.
Clara Munguia, a senior studying political science and global studies and the president of the Hispanic Legal Students Association, was among the 27% of undergraduate immersion University students who identified as Hispanic or Latino in Fall 2024. She said the DOJ's decision was not surprising.
"(It) feels like a continuation of a trend we've seen with (Trump) administration," Munguia said. "I wish that we, as an underrepresented community, Latinos and Hispanics alike, would receive the support that would help us bridge gaps."
Munguia said the financial, social and moral support an HSI designation provides to universities is important to develop Latino students and get them where they need to be.
Gerardo Torres Viveros, a freshman studying political science, said the news was discouraging.
"It will make it harder for students like myself to succeed here at ASU," Viveros said. "It's already tough as it is, and they're just making it tougher."
Viveros said he is concerned the end of HSIs and related grants will deter Hispanic individuals from pursuing higher education.
"More people will be persuaded not to go to college," Viveros said. "There are a lot of blue-collar sectors, and I feel like they're just going to push that agenda more."
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Viveros said a college education is particularly important for those of immigrant descent.
"Most immigrant families come to the United States so their children can get a better life," Viveros said. "It looks like they're trying to push us down. They don't want an educated Hispanic community."
Pedro Gonzalez-Aboyte is the education manager for Aliento, an Arizona non-profit that works with the immigrant and Latino communities. He said Latino students ought to stay positive.
"Keep going to school, keep showing up and keep setting the example for why we need these HSIs," Gonzalez-Aboyte said.
Despite the decision, Aliento will continue to uplift students of the Latino and immigrant communities who want to continue their education, Gonzalez-Aboyte said. He added advocating for oneself and one's community will remain useful.
Munguia said advocacy will be harder after the DOJ decision, and the move could stall the Latino community's momentum. Nevertheless, it's not hopeless.
"We're still going to keep doing what we're doing, and we're still going to find a way to help these programs develop," Munguia said. "Even if we don't receive HSI funding."
Edited by Carsten Oyer, George Headley, Tiya Talwar, Sophia Braccio and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at emalvar9@asu.edu.
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Emilio is a junior at Arizona State University and this is his second semester at The State Press.
