Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president, returned to the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2025. Since then, he has made changes from immigration to removing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including ethnic studies courses, cultural clubs around the nation and eliminating critical race theory, which is the study of how race and racism have shaped and is embedded in the systems surrounding Americans.
During his second term, President Donald Trump has signed more than 40 Executive Orders. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an Executive Order is an order that the president signs and can put into effect without approval from Congress. Executive Orders can be overturned by the next president or in court and can go into effect as soon as the president signs off, but typically take longer to go into effect.
According to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), one key impact of Trump’s executive actions is on students, as his administration is considering dismantling the Department of Education (ED), to give power back to the states.
The ED establishes federal education policies such as Title IX (gender equality in education) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Furthermore, it ensures that each state sets academic standards by requiring each state to conduct annual standardized tests and initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Additionally, the ED provides funding to low-income students, through loan programs, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA provides financial aid to around 11 million students across the nation in order for them to be able to go to college, as some colleges across the United States (U.S.) have a cumulative tuition cost of over $300,000, as per the Wall Street Journal. The dismantling of the ED would make it highly possible that financial aid would no longer be an option or would be very hard to access. Different states may replicate financial aid programs, but it could vary from state to state, creating inequitable access to financial aid and challenges for prospective college students across the nation. Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association, says that dismantling the ED would cause many at-risk schools to lose funding and resources because the ED’s elementary and secondary programs serve over 50 million students in more than 100,000 schools. The loss of funding would result in losses to the special education department, arts programs and government-funded departments, as a large chunk of the money goes towards supporting such programs.
On the other hand, dismantling the ED’s education policy decision-making would return to the states. This would allow for more tailored educational approaches that align with the specific needs of communities, making education relative to specific populations and possibly creating a stronger emphasis on skills that align with regional job markets.
Similar to the possible dismantling of the ED, the promises Trump has made regarding immigration will also heavily impact students across the nation. During his campaigning, Trump promised to have the largest deportation operation in American history, aiming to send back any immigrants who illegally came to America, regardless of the reason.
Currently, Trump has expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has revoked a policy that stops ICE agents from arresting people in places such as churches, hospitals, public parks and people’s homes. Moreover, via CalMatters (CM), expedited removal, a deportation process that bypasses immigration courts, has been expanded to apply to immigrants arrested within two years. This means that the number of immigrants without legal documentation being deported without a trial would increase.
The fear of being deported has caused many immigrants to stop going to work and school. According to CM, many school districts noticed a large decline in attendance and some districts with a large undocumented immigration population noticed a 10% decline. Due to this, Democratic lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aiming to discourage the presence of immigration authorities near schools. Additionally, many schools and officials have continued to push back and encourage immigrants to know their Fifth and Fourth Amendment rights, which protects one’s right to remain silent and the Fourth, preventing the search of one’s home without a warrant. According to NBC Los Angeles, students and families protested against the immigration policies in Los Angeles and nearby cities, as deportation could lead to a lack of access to education in a politically divided region and being separated from family.
Furthermore, according to Time Magazine, the Trump administration plans to dismantle many of the previous climate-protective Executive Orders, especially curbing progress to reduce fossil fuel emissions, the largest contributor to climate change. One of Trump’s major moves has been withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to curb long-term global warming. Additionally, Trump signed an Executive Order on Jan. 24, 2025, calling for the assessment and possible removal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the nation’s main system for disaster recovery. On the flip side, now more money could be allocated towards bettering the economy and increasing the country’s oil and gas production, which could lower energy prices and increase fossil fuel supply.
Another major area of focus for the Trump administration has been DEI programs.
Before Trump’s presidency, many companies and organizations, both local and nationwide, implemented DEI programs to foster inclusive environments for all. According to the Harvard Law Corporate Governance Forum, Trump has cited concerns that such programs may perpetuate discrimination, deviate from merit-based principles and foster preferential treatment based on identity rather than individual qualifications. However, according to the ACLU, critics argue that dismantling DEI programs undermines efforts to address systemic inequalities and promote workplace diversity.
Changes in DEI initiatives have greatly affected schools and the education system as well. According to EdTrust, some states have passed laws to restrict discussions regarding race and gender in the classroom. Some states have also banned books related to race and DEI topics. In addition, there has been reduced funding for school-related DEI initiatives, meaning that students will have less exposure to DEI-related topics and therefore may have a limited understanding.
In the context of corporations, many companies have rolled back their DEI initiatives while others are steadfast in continuing to support and enhance their DEI programs. They believe that DEI initiatives aim to maintain a high standard of qualifications while advancing equal employment opportunities and inclusivity, ensuring that employees from all backgrounds are hired.
Additionally, Trump recently passed several anti-LGBTQ+ orders. According to the Human Rights Campaign, one of his Executive Orders, titled “Defending Women Against Gender-Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” attempts to end legal recognition of transgender and nonbinary people under federal law. This would greenlight discrimination against the full LGBTQ+ community in the workplace, education, housing, healthcare and more.
To add, according to the White House, Trump signed an “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” order which rescinds previous protections that protected the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination under federal law. As a result, federal agencies are no longer required to interpret existing civil rights laws like prohibiting discrimination based on factors such as one’s sexual orientation and or gender. This could result in schools disrespecting aspects of students’ identity.
Read more about Trump’s Executive Orders on https://www.federalregister.gov/presidential-documents/executive-orders/donald-trump/2025
