Wasserman Schultz Calls to Protect Latinos in Action Program, Local Classroom Funding

Washington, October 24, 2025
“The bigger picture here is the war Trump has declared on any efforts we make to ensure everyone in this nation can be successful and included in the American dream,” said Wasserman Schultz. “As part of that, just last month, the Trump Administration’s Department of Education forced Broward schools to end their highly successful Latinos in Action program by threatening to withhold millions of dollars in magnet school funding from the district, which have no connection to Latinos in Action, and likely isn’t even legal.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) held a roundtable to discuss the impacts of the Trump Administration’s push to cancel the highly successful Latinos in Action course in Broward County, with many students involved in the successful program sharing how it feels like “familia.” The Trump Administration’s threat to withhold federal funds is based on inaccurate claims that the course excludes some students, and people connected to the popular class over the last decade described the reality of its access and achievements.  

“The bigger picture here is the war Trump has declared on any efforts we make to ensure everyone in this nation can be successful and included in the American dream,” said Wasserman Schultz. “As part of that, just last month, the Trump Administration’s Department of Education forced Broward schools to end their highly successful Latinos in Action program by threatening to withhold millions of dollars in magnet school funding from the district, which have no connection to Latinos in Action, and likely isn’t even legal.”

Despite Trump Administration claims, the program is open to all students in 7th through 12th grade. Students shared their personal stories about how Latinos in Action helped them grow personally and professionally, learn about different cultures, develop leadership skills, but most importantly gave them a place where they felt like they belonged.

Broward, Polk and Seminole counties all received threatening U.S. Department of Education letters related to cancelling the program, and several Florida districts suspended the program for fear of losing funding, including Lee, Osceola, Volusia, Orange and Hillsborough counties. Yesterday, Wasserman Schultz led Democrats in Florida in a call for the DOEd to halt the plan to terminate the program.

Wasserman Schultz was joined by Broward County School Board Chair Debbi Hixon, Latinos in Action Regional Program Manager Andrea Bruno, and students who participated in the program.

Wasserman Schultz recently led Florida’s Congressional Democrats in a letter calling on the Trump Administration’s Department of Education to rescind its threat to withhold federal funds from local classrooms and give school districts a chance to prove that inaccurate claims against a long-time, successful Latinos In Action program should not be used to target funding and resources that local districts need.