PSJD News Digest – May 9, 2025

May 9, 2025 at 2:21 pm · Filed under Public Interest Law News Bulletin

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Photo: Harris and Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Hi Interested Public,

Welcome to the end of another week. Glad you’re still with us. This week, the Trump Administration summarily fired the Librarian of Congress while former DOJ attorneys launched a new DC firm to contest the Administration’s ongoing reductions in force across the federal civil service. The specific effects of last week’s widespread grant terminations across DOJ’s grant portfolio are starting to come into focus. The Department of Education announced that people with student loans in default would be notified of their options soon and could lose federal benefits or see their wages garnished beginning this summer; the Department also sent a letter to Harvard University announcing that “Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government since none will be provided.” In Louisville Kentucky, Black students from across the city were honored in an “Ascension Citywide Black Graduation Ceremony” unaffiliated with any of the local universities that had conferred on them their degrees.

As always, these stories and more are in the links below. Solidarity,

Sam

Editor’s Choice(s)

  • Federal workers are hunting for new jobs: ‘It’s incredibly saturated’ (Baltimore Banner; 5 May 2025)

    “I enjoy my job and do not want to leave — but the administration’s hostility towards federal workers is seemingly increasing, and I know there is a decent likelihood I will have to begin a job search soon. I used to have a 5- and 10-year career plan, and now I’m not even sure what things will look like in five months.”

Federal RIFs

  • Ex-DOJ Attys Launch DC Firm Focused On Federal Workers (Law 360; 7 May 2025)

    “Two former U. S. Department of Justice attorneys who recently left their government positions have launched a Washington D.C. -based firm they say will fight the Trump administration’s efforts to ‘dismantle the federal workforce.’ ”

  • Trump abruptly fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden (NPR; 9 May 2025)

    “Hayden was formally notified of her termination in an email from the White House’s presidential personnel department just before 7 p.m. Thursday, according to a copy of the email reviewed by CQ Roll Call…The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with buildings located on the Capitol campus. While it is a legislative branch agency, the president has statutory authority to appoint the head of the Library of Congress, with Senate confirmation.” [emphasis added]

Federal Funding Cuts

  • Layoffs, closures and gaps in oversight expected after hundreds of DOJ grants are canceled (AP News; 29 Apr 2025)

    “Amy Solomon, former assistant attorney general who oversaw the Office of Justice Programs and now a senior fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, said the cuts touched on every aspect of the department’s portfolio.”

    • DOGE cuts remove legal-aid service from Champaign County [IL] Courthouse (The News Gazette; 9 May 2025)

      “Among programs cut as the Trump administration slashed funding to AmeriCorps was Illinois JusticeCorps, a program that embedded volunteers in courthouses around the state to provide assistance and guidance through a variety of legal processes. One such volunteer is Jack Popovich, who is set to attend law school this fall but first planned to spend a year with JusticeCorps, operating the self-help desk at the Champaign County Courthouse.”

  • Trump’s FY26 budget plan slashes Education Department programs (Higher Ed Dive; 2 May 2025)

    “Trump’s proposal calls for a $980 million reduction in funding for the program, which was appropriated $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2024. In his budget plan, the president called for Federal Work-Study to be run by the states and the colleges “that financially benefit from it.” “Reform of this poorly targeted program should redistribute remaining funding to institutions that serve the most low-income students and provide a wage subsidy to gain career-oriented opportunities to improve long-term employment outcomes of students,” it says.”

Civil Society

  • Deciphering the Trump Administration’s Latest Letter to Harvard (Inside Higher Ed; 7 May 2025)

    “In a three-page letter sent to Harvard University on Monday evening, the Department of Education said federal agencies will no longer provide the wealthy institution with any grant funding, alleging that Harvard has engaged in a “systemic pattern of violating federal law” and calling it a “mockery of this country’s higher education system.”…Some conservative policy experts see Monday’s move as an aggressive step to break Harvard’s silo from accountability…But Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, described Monday’s letter as a “particularly disturbing” and “unwarranted escalation of threats.””

Student Debt & Other Student Concerns

  • Benefits could be withheld from 5.3 million defaulted student loan borrowers, feds say (USA Today; 7 May 2025)

    “The U.S. Department of Education announced on Monday, May 5 that by the end of summer, 5.3 million defaulted student loan borrowers will receive a 30-day notice from the U.S. Department of Treasury, notifying them that they could lose federal benefits. About 195,000 defaulted student loan borrowers received this notice on Monday, and the first federal monthly benefit checks to be impacted are those scheduled for early June, a statement reads.”

  • This is how involuntary student debt collection will be carried out (MSN; 8 May 2025)

    “the Department will soon notify defaulted borrowers, requiring them to make payments, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan, or seek loan rehabilitation. The government plans to initiate collections this summer through tax refund offsets, federal pension garnishments, and wage garnishments if payments are not made. To ease the transition, the Department of Education is enhancing borrower support with extended call center hours, a new AI assistant, and an updated loan simulator.” [various emphasis removed]

  • We’re at the beginning of a harsh new era for college students (Vox; 9 May 2025)

    “This means that, for students entering college or graduate school for the first time, the financial aid landscape could be grim. The Republican plan puts new limits on how much students in high-cost areas or in high-cost programs can borrow for tuition, books, room and board, even as moderate-income students will no longer be eligible for federal grants. Borrowing for graduate and professional school could be capped in a way that would make it much more difficult for lower-income students to pursue careers in medicine and law.” [emphasis added]

Conflicts Over Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

  • DOJ demands proof UVa has dismantled DEI (The Daily Progress; 9 May 2025)

    “for every employee, student, faculty member, or administrator who formerly occupied a position with any DEI responsibilities, ‘mandate,’ duties, or title whatsoever, identify whether that individual’s position and title have been eliminated, whether the individual is still associated with the University in any official or unofficial, paid or unpaid capacity and, if so, the name and nature of that individual’s current title or position.”

  • Morrisey signs bills, including DEI ban (The Inter Mountain; 9 May 2025)

    “Gov. Patrick Morrisey praised the passage of bills codifying his executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state government and education programs; and a bill closing remaining loopholes that allowed for medication gender-affirming care.”

  • Louisville's Black graduates honored at first 'Ascension' ceremony amid anti-DEI policies (Louisville Courier-Journal; 9 May 2025)

    “Roughly 20 Black students from Louisville universities walked the stage at St. Stephen Baptist Church May 8 for the inaugural "Ascension Citywide Black Graduation Ceremony," hosted in resistance to recent state and federal crackdowns on anti-diversity, equity and inclusion practices in higher education. The event — unaffiliated with any local universities — welcomed students from the University of Louisville, Bellarmine University, Spalding University and Simmons College of Kentucky, who had their names called over a microphone and received certificates and roses to mark the occasion.”

Access to Justice

  • Wilmington Council considers funding for tenant eviction assistance program (Town Square Live; 8 May 2025)

    “As Delaware implements its new right to representation law for tenants facing eviction, Wilmington City Council heard from legal aid leaders on Wednesday, who outlined progress made under the law and requested city support for a $786,000 settlement assistance fund to prevent further displacement.”