Alpha Phi Alpha Issues Strong Condemnation of President Trump’s Executive Order to Dismantle the Department of Education

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has issued a strong condemnation of President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

In a statement released today, the fraternity characterized the move as part of a broader effort to undermine educational opportunities for marginalized and underserved students, particularly those who are low-income, racially marginalized, or living with disabilities. Alpha Phi Alpha denounced the executive order as a direct threat to civil rights enforcement and educational equity, warning that it could dramatically decrease access to higher education for those most in need.

Alpha Phi Alpha urged state attorneys general to take legal action in an effort to block the executive order, calling on elected officials to resist the administration’s efforts to gut the agency from within.

Additionally, the fraternity is mobilizing its membership to engage directly with lawmakers. All Alpha Phi Alpha chapter presidents have been instructed to contact their U.S. congressional representatives and senators to express the fraternity’s stance and demand clarity on where each elected official stands on the issue. As part of its long-standing Voteless People is a Hopeless People initiative, the fraternity announced plans to compile and publish a list of congressional stances on the matter to hold leaders accountable.

Alpha Phi Alpha emphasized that the executive order is in direct opposition to the fraternity’s founding principles and the mission it has upheld since its establishment in 1906.

“As the world’s first and leading intercollegiate fraternity founded by African American men, this attack is the antithesis to why our illustrious fraternity was conceived and founded,” the statement reads.

The fraternity reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for African Americans and people of color, particularly in the realm of education and public policy, and vowed to remain at the forefront of the fight for equal protections and access to learning opportunities.

The Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the Department of Education, a federal agency established in 1979 to promote student achievement and ensure equal access to education, has sparked sharp backlash from civil rights organizations, educators, and political leaders. Critics argue that the move could undermine federal oversight of education policy, weaken enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, and reduce access to higher education for students who rely on federal financial aid and protections.

Alpha Phi Alpha’s statement adds to the growing chorus of opposition, as advocacy groups and policymakers weigh legal and legislative responses to prevent the agency’s dissolution. The fraternity has pledged to remain engaged in both political and grassroots efforts to defend the Department of Education and protect educational opportunities for future generations.

Read the full statement below: