Attorney General Ford Leads Multistate Brief Supporting National TRIO Programs Threatened by Federal Grant Cuts

Carson City, NV - Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced that he and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell are leading a coalition of 20 states in filing an amicus brief supporting the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) in two lawsuits challenging the U.S. Department of Education's (DOE) recent decisions to cut off funding for the long-standing federal TRIO programs.

The amicus brief, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, supports COE's efforts to protect access to higher education for low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students. The lawsuits seek to stop the DOE's discontinuation of many active TRIO grants and denial of new Student Support Services (SSS) grants, both of which the DOE justified under newly adopted federal policies that restrict diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

"TRIO programs have been a lifeline for generations of Nevadans striving to achieve their dreams of higher education," said AG Ford. "These programs are proven and effective and have been fully funded by Congress. Cutting off funding because of shifting political winds not only harms students but undermines the federal government's responsibility to promote fairness and opportunity. Nevada's future depends on an educated and skilled workforce, and programs like TRIO make that future possible. Our office will continue to stand up for students who are working hard to change their lives through education."

The two complaints filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia address separate but related actions. The TRIO complaint challenges the DOE's failure to continue dozens of ongoing TRIO grants that were funded through 2026. The SSS complaint contests the denial of new SSS grant applications, which the DOE rejected after retroactively applying new anti-DEI policies despite the fact that applications were submitted under 2024 guidance from the prior administration, which required applicants to describe how their programs would address equity and accessibility. The challenged actions have already forced longstanding programs at college and universities nationwide to close, denying support to students who rely on them.

These lawsuits assert that the DOE's actions violate multiple provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, as well as Congressional intent in maintaining TRIO programs for nearly six decades.

TRIO programs have operated in Nevada for decades, providing mentorship, tutoring and academic support that help students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in college.

At UNR, TRIO's Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science programs help hundreds of first-generation and low-income students annually - 100% of whom were accepted into postsecondary education last year. At UNLV, more than 80% of Upward Bound participants enroll in college after graduation. At the College of Southern Nevada, SSS participants graduated at a significantly higher rate than their peers, but the DOE's challenged failure to fund the program has caused it to close.

The amicus brief filed by Nevada and joining states underscores that the sudden loss of federal funding for these programs would have severe and long-term consequences for students, colleges, and state economies.

In supporting the amicus briefs, Attorney General Ford is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

Review a copy of the TRIO and SSS amicus briefs.

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