Justice Dept. declines to defend grants for Hispanic-serving colleges, calling them unconstitutional

The Trump administration says a grant program that supports colleges with large numbers of Latino students is unconstitutional.

Federal funding for Hispanic Serving Institutions are being challenged in court and Justice Department has declined to defend them.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Friday it will not defend a decades-old grant program for colleges with large numbers of Latino students that is being challenged in court, declaring the government believes the funding is unconstitutional.

In a memo sent to Congress, the Justice Department said it agrees with a lawsuit attempting to strike down grants that are reserved for colleges and universities where at least a quarter of undergraduates are Latino. . Congress created the program in 1998 after finding Latino students