Congressman Tony Gonzales, who represents Texas’s 23rd District and serves as Chairman of the Republican Congressional Hispanic Conference, has led a letter urging the Department of Education to reverse its decision to end $350 million in grant funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). These institutions are defined as colleges and universities where at least 25% of students are Hispanic.
Texas has the second-largest number of HSIs in the United States, with 112 colleges and universities. Across the country, HSIs enroll about 5.6 million students and contribute significantly to economic revenue.
The letter, signed by members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, stated: “As members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference—the only caucus of Hispanic Republican lawmakers in Congress—we write to express our deep concern with the Department of Education’s September 10, 2025, announcement to terminate discretionary funding for several Minority-Serving Institution grant programs, including those that support Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
“Reprogramming roughly $350 million in discretionary funds away from HSI programs risks undermining critical investments in America’s workforce and research capacity. These programs play a vital role in preparing students from HSIs for careers in STEM, developing the next generation of teachers, and advancing research in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
“Redirecting these funds away from HSI-designated institutions could disproportionately harm all the students at these colleges and universities—regardless of their ethnicity—and weaken the talent pipeline needed to meet the challenges facing our country. For these universities and many others serving predominantly Hispanic communities, failing to meet the 25 percent undergraduate population necessary for HSI designation would mean failing to serve their communities. Their eligibility is a byproduct of their mission—not a pursuit of quotas,” wrote Chairman Tony Gonzales.
Other Republican Congressional Hispanic Conference members joining Gonzales include David Valadao (R-CA-22), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL-28), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06).
Lena T. Rodriguez, Executive Vice President for Policy and Government Relations at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), stated: “The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) unequivocally supports the Congressional Hispanic Conference’s call to fully restore funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). As the Conference’s letter makes clear, HSI eligibility stems from our mission, not from quotas. Any cuts to HSIs are a direct threat to educational opportunity, economic mobility, and the global competitiveness of the United States. It is essential that these critical federal investments in our institutions, our students, and our shared future must be immediately and fully restored.”
Taylor Eighmy, President of UT San Antonio, said: “We are grateful for the efforts of Chairman Gonzales and the Congressional Hispanic Conference to engage the Department of Education around reinstating funding programs for federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institutions. At UT San Antonio, we serve over 42,000 students and focus on student success to drive completion, workforce development, and economic prosperity. The federal support programs are used to enhance internships, experiential learning programs, and career readiness programs for our entire student population. These all are essential to our efforts to drive economic development, which is so important to our region, state and nation.”
Dr. Heather Wilson, President of UTEP, commented: “UTEP is the only R1 university in America that has kept our open access mission. As America’s leading Hispanic-Serving University, our enrollment reflects the demographics of our region and our commitment to intentionally serve. The programs now at risk have advanced STEM innovation, teacher preparation, and student success for all students. We are grateful to Congressman Gonzales for his leadership in defending these programs, which expand the pathway to build the workforce our nation needs.”
St. Mary’s University President Winston Erevelles noted: “As San Antonio’s oldest institution of higher education, St. Mary’s University leans on our Catholic and Marianist foundation to shape how we serve our students and the community at large. For 173 years, we have been educating students in a wide range of academic disciplines to meet the current and emerging needs of the region. We are a university that welcomes all, and we reflect the population of San Antonio. The recent loss of grant funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education greatly hinders our ability to educate and graduate much-needed talent for workforce and industry demands in the seventh-largest city in our nation.”
Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores from Alamo Colleges District added: “At the Alamo Colleges District, where we proudly serve more than 88,000 students across five Hispanic-Serving Institutions, we see firsthand how federal HSI and MSEIP funding benefits all students and strengthens communities. These resources allow us to expand critical STEM programs, enhance student supports, and open doors to economic opportunity for each of our learners across our 8-county service region. To remain globally competitive, we urge leaders to continue investment in these programs that support our workforce and economic future.”
Congressman Tony Gonzales has secured electoral victories against Santos Limon in 2024 by winning more than sixty percent of votes; he also defeated John Lira in 2022 with about fifty-six percent support; previously he won against Gina Ortiz Jones in 2020 with just over fifty percent backing.
