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Colleges across the U.S. are cutting back programs for migrant students after the U.S. Department of Education temporarily halted funding for the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), raising concerns about educational equity and support for vulnerable students.
In June, the department notified colleges that they would not receive funding for CAMP this fall, amounting to approximately $2.4 million over five years. The suspension follows criticism from the President Donald Trump administration, which argued in its proposed 2026 budget that migrant education programs are “too expensive” and “lack evidence of effectiveness.” The pause affects schools in the midst of five-year funding cycles, causing abrupt program changes and job losses.
At Millersville University in southeastern Pennsylvania, four staff members who administered CAMP and advised students were laid off this summer. The 21 students enrolled in the program remain on campus but have lost the services the program offered. “Until we receive the funding, we can’t continue this year’s program,” said Lara Willox, dean of Millersville’s College of Education and Human Services.
CAMP, established in 1972, assists first-year migrant students in transitioning to college and provides ongoing support throughout their studies, including tutoring, mental health counseling, financial aid, and internships. Data from the National HEPCAMP organization show that 76% of CAMP participants complete their first year, and 96% proceed to their second year. A 2024 report to Congress from the Education Department noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, CAMP programs retained first-year students at four-year institutions at an 81% rate in 2021 and 2022, exceeding the national average.
Alternative support efforts are forming at several campuses. At California State University San Marcos, for example, CAMP used to provide books, computers, and other essentials; now those services have ended, and students have been referred to general campus offices for academic coaching and mentoring. Michigan State University is raising about $5,000 this year in temporary funds to assist CAMP students. Millersville plans to utilize senior students as peer tutors and mentors for first-year CAMP students, replacing paid support staff.
A group of colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations that participate in CAMP sued the Trump administration in August, arguing that since Congress appropriated the funding, the money should still be made available. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Office of Management and Budget in early September, urging the release of funds allocated for migrant student programs in Fiscal Year 2025.
Department documents indicate that the Notices Inviting Applications for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and CAMP for fiscal year 2025 have been withdrawn and the competition cancelled as of September 18, 2025.
Without federal CAMP funding, colleges risk eroding the supports that help migrant students persist and graduate. Experts say access to mentorship, financial aid, academic counseling, and peer support correlates with higher retention and graduation rates among first-generation and migrant students.
