Overview
- The ACLU filed a lawsuit on April 29 on behalf of six Head Start organizations, alleging the Trump administration's actions to defund and restructure the program violate the Head Start Act and constitutional protections.
- The lawsuit targets the administration's recent executive order removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, calling it vague, unconstitutional, and harmful to program quality.
- Head Start, which serves 800,000 low-income families nationwide, has faced funding delays, staff layoffs, and the closure of five regional offices, including one overseeing California, since January.
- A leaked draft HHS budget proposes eliminating all federal funding for Head Start by 2026, prompting concerns from advocates about the program's survival and its impact on vulnerable families.
- The Department of Health and Human Services has not commented on the lawsuit, while advocates emphasize the program's critical role in supporting early education, health services, and economic stability for families.