National Digital Inclusion Alliance Sues Trump Administration Over Canceled Grant Program
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), represented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, sued the Trump administration Wednesday for canceling the Digital Equity Act competitive grant program, which had been approved by Congress. NDIA said it asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to order the administration to restore the program and “allow NDIA to resume shovel-ready projects aimed at providing digital navigator services to 30,000 people in 11 states.”
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President Donald Trump ended the $2.5 billion grant program in May with a social media post, forcing states to cancel all contracts that would have used that money (see 2505090051). States have also challenged Trump's action (see 2507090001).
“NDIA is taking the extraordinary step of suing the federal government for the 30,000 people who were counting on our Digital Navigator + program to help guide them through submitting job applications, accessing telehealth, attending classes, and staying safe online,” said Executive Director Angela Siefer. “Let’s be very clear, the Digital Equity Act is not unconstitutional nor racist, it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support to ensure the United States can compete in today’s modern economy.”
NDIA explained in its lawsuit that the program isn’t part of the diversity, equity and inclusion policies targeted by the Trump administration. “‘Equity’ as intended by the Digital Equity Act was not intended to, nor does it favor a race or a gender; its goal is to provide critical broadband internet access to Americans -- all of them,” the court filing said. “Similarly, the ‘digital divide’ Congress sought to address in the Act is not an issue of race or gender; it references the fact that millions of Americans -- of all races and genders -- do not have access to the internet and other digital services.”