The Trump administration has warned states that they could lose transportation funding for failing to cooperate on federal immigration enforcement efforts or for maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
The big picture: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized in a letter that recipients of Transportation Department financial assistance must adhere to “merit-based” personnel practices and comply with federal laws, including enforcing immigration rules, eliminating discriminatory DEI policies, and safeguarding free speech.
- Some states that have received financial assistance have been cited for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration investigations or issuing driver’s licenses to individuals in violation of federal immigration law, according to Duffy.
Go deeper: A U.S. appeals court allowed the Trump administration to temporarily ban DEI programs at federal agencies and businesses with government contracts in March, further highlighting the administration’s stance on this issue.
- The Transportation Department allocates over $50 billion in grants annually, along with formula funding for highways to states, with government agencies like the Federal Communications Commission and the Labor and Education Departments also seeking to address DEI practices post an executive order by President Donald Trump.
- In January, Duffy signed a memo giving preference for transit grants to communities with higher marriage and birth rates while prohibiting Transportation Department grant recipients from imposing vaccine or mask mandates, reflecting the administration’s broader policy directives within the transportation sector.
