Federal Response

An Urgent Call to Action:

We are calling on our partners — donors + corporations + foundations — to rise with us in this moment of historic uncertainty to support, stabilize and strengthen the nonprofit sector. We will not stand for a pause in our progress together.

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June 2025

Since January, the Executive Branch has frequently issued Executive Orders (EO) and directives for agencies that have impacted our partners and the communities we serve. This surge of information can overwhelm and fragment public discourse and media coverage, making it difficult for people to get information that affects them the most. To help focus our attention, this bulletin breaks down federal directives and developments that impact our communities and partners with updates, analysis, and links to learn more.

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Cross Sector

• Immigration • Education and Research Funding • Medicaid

Immigration

Immigration enforcement continues to be a focus of the Administration. The month of May continued deportation of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, to countries like El Salvador to be held indefinitely. Communities across MA have experienced arrests of community members in communal spaces and at work. These actions have continued to cause fear among immigrant populations, disrupting communities across the state. What others are saying: • WBUR: Greater Boston sees ‘surge’ in immigration enforcement | WBUR News • PBS News: Examining Trump’s latest hardline immigration policies and legal battles around them • CNN: Where things stand in 5 of the Trump administration’s highest profile immigration cases

Education and Research Funding

Harvard has been at the center of the broader fight between the Administration and higher education on DEI, immigration, and academic independence. The Administration has made it clear that higher education must comply with its policy or lose its funding. The battle has been slowly making its way through the court system over the past few months with neither side looking to back down. What others are saying: • Boston.com: Live Blog: The Trump administration vs. Mass. colleges • The Boston Globe: Harvard vs. Trump: Administration announces $450 million in cuts • The New York Times: Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over Move to Bar International Students • The New York Times: Trump’s Budget Calls for Deep Cuts to NIH and CDC • Reuters: Trump budget proposes drastic cuts for US scientific research

Medicaid

The Administration has made it a priority to reduce spending by 2 trillion dollars, with cuts to Medicaid being a lever for achieving that goal. In May, Congress passed a budget with deep cuts and changes in eligibility requirements to Medicaid and SNAP. While the “big beautiful bill” has cleared its first hurdle in the House, the bill has some significant holdouts in the Senate who have indicated that Medicaid cuts are a non-starters. This budget is an important test to gauge Congressional support for the Administration’s priorities. What others are saying: • CNN: Cuts to Medicaid and food stamps: Here’s who could be impacted by the House GOP’s bill • NPR: New research shows what’s at stake if Congress makes cuts to Medicaid • The New York Times: Republicans Pass Strictest Medicaid Work Requirement They’ve Ever Put Forward • The Conversation: Work requirements are better at blocking benefits for low-income people than they are at helping those folks find jobs • The Boston Globe: A blunt force axe: Mass. Democrats warn of harm to hospitals, health care under Trump budget proposal • CommonWealth Beacon: ‘Pay now or pay greater later’: Mass. health centers CEO warns Medicaid cuts will lead to higher costs and strain to health system

Safe & Stable Housing

When people can remain in their homes, it benefits everyone. An abundance of safe and stable housing brings dignity and humanity to people, improves health outcomes and decreases emergency and health care utilization and costs, helps us fix past injustices and unlocks the potential of people to thrive in school and work, strengthening our communities. • Housing Assistance

Housing Assistance

Another aspect of the budget debate centers on housing assistance, particularly section-8 vouchers. In addition to reducing funding in the upcoming budget, HUD has discussed more stringent work requirements, time limits on voucher utilization and moving funding to block grants for state to manage. What others are saying: • The Washington Post: 60,000 people set to prematurely lose federal housing assistance • The Boston Globe: Boston worries it won't be able to cover rent hikes for Section 8 recipients as federal funding dries up

Early Education & Out of School Time

Addressing current gaps in access and affordability of early education and out-of-school-time will strengthen children’s foundation for learning and engagement during their early years and support caregivers to stay in the workforce, bolstering the economy. High quality programming contributes to increased attendance and improved student achievement and social-emotional wellbeing, closes opportunity and achievement gaps for Black, Latino and immigrant youth and fosters upward mobility to break cycles of intergenerational poverty. • Head Start • Afterschool Programs and Access

Head Start

The Administration has seemingly reversed course on their attempt to end Head Start programs across the country. However, many impacts such as staffing cuts and closure of regional offices remain in limbo. What others are saying: • The Guardian: Head Start avoids Trump’s cuts, but advocates are ready to defend it: ‘There’s too much good in this’ • Katie Hamm: Today Secretary Kennedy testified before the House appropriations • Reuters: US Head Start preschool programs hit by Trump cuts, funding delays • The Associated Press: Kennedy assures Congress funding for Head Start will not be cut

Afterschool Programs and Access

The Administration has taken aim at cutting funding for afterschool programing like the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant. Losing these grants will deal a significant blow to the accessibility of afterschool programing in Massachusetts. What others are saying: • NPR: After-school programs, a boon for learning, could face Trump cuts

Youth & Young Adults

Equitable access to educational and career pathways requires prioritizing the well-being and holistic needs of young people, creating a cascading positive impact. This will ensure more youth engage in learning and development opportunities, support young people in managing multiple responsibilities and roles within their family and community, increase enrollment and completion rates for college and career pathways and empower young people to make progress toward their dreams. • Transgender Youth

Transgender Youth

Trans youth continue to face discrimination and further attacks on their rights and access to care under the current Administration. New proposals include a ban on gender affirming care in the federal funding bill, which recently cleared its first hurdle in Congress and in new regulations from HHS. What others are saying: • ProPublica : A Gutted Education Department’s New Agenda: Roll Back Civil Rights Cases, Target Transgender Students • PBS: Trump’s HHS urges therapy for transgender youth, departing from broader gender-affirming health care • NBC News: House passes tax bill that would ban Medicaid from covering transition-related care

Economic Inclusion

When people increase their financial wellbeing, it benefits everyone. An abundance of income and assets can put goals like home ownership within reach, empower individuals to further their education, improve mental and physical health, foster upward mobility and break cycles of intergenerational poverty. • Massachusetts Economy

Massachusetts Economy

As the Federal budget begins to take shape, Massachusetts is preparing for deep the worst as new data is released forecasting the economic impacts to the state if cuts to the federal budget take shape. What others are saying: • Boston University: Massachusetts Could See Drastic, Cascading Economic Downturn from New Policies, BU Study Finds • Boston 25 News: Governor Healey announces Executive Branch hiring freeze amid economic uncertainty