(Press Release) — Galvin Sablan Deleon Guerrero, a longtime educator and independent candidate for CNMI delegate to Congress, has joined a coalition of national education leaders in calling on Congress to restore critical funding for Minority-Serving Institutions or MSIs, following the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to terminate MSI funding for Fiscal Year 2025.
In a letter co-signed by the American Council on Education and more than a dozen higher education associations, Deleon Guerrero and other national leaders urged congressional leaders — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries — to reverse the cuts and reaffirm Congress’s long-standing bipartisan commitment to educational support.
“When the federal government cuts education funding for programs like MSIs, it’s not just institutions that suffer — it’s the students from hardworking families, small villages, and island communities like ours who lose the most,” said Deleon Guerrero. “These programs are lifelines that open doors for every student regardless of their background — offering tutoring, mentorship, and career guidance — and they serve as a home away from home for our youth who are already doing their best to overcome financial and personal challenges.”
The Department’s decision redirects MSI funding exclusively toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities — leaving out hundreds of other federally designated MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions such as Northern Marianas College.
The letter calls the move “abrupt and deeply damaging,” warning that it could cause “irreparable harm” to hundreds of colleges nationwide that serve millions of students from underrepresented communities. It urges Congress to restore MSI funding for FY 2025 and ensure full support for these programs in FY 2026 and beyond.
“One-sided federal cuts from Washington, DC have become all too common — especially this year — made without any real understanding of how deeply they affect communities like the CNMI,” added Deleon Guerrero. “If elected to Congress, I’ll make sure our islands and our youth’s voices are heard when these decisions are made — and I’ll fight for full and equitable funding for students, no matter their ZIP code or their island.”
According to the American Council on Education, more than 1,900 institutions nationwide qualify as MSIs under Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act, serving millions of students — many of them first-generation and Pell Grant recipients. For the CNMI, these funds directly support student aid, workforce development, technology access, and campus infrastructure.
“The work continues, and I am glad that I was able to advocate for our students and our islands in my current role, and I pledge to do more for and beyond education if elected to Congress.
“As I’ve said time and time again, there is no better way to improve lives than through education. Time and time again, investing in education lifts people and families out of poverty, creates economic opportunities, and transforms communities.
“That is what I’m fighting for: fighting for education, fighting for our youth, fighting for us.”
