LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Scholarships restricted to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients at two Michigan universities have prompted a federal civil‑rights investigation into whether they unlawfully exclude American‑born students.

A Title VI investigation.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title VI investigation under the Civil Rights Act of 1964—which bars national‑origin discrimination in any federally funded program—targeting the University of Michigan’s Dreamers Scholarship and Western Michigan University’s Undocumented/DACA Scholarship.

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Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor made the stakes clear in a July 23 press release: “Neither the Trump Administration’s America First policies nor the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition on national origin discrimination permit universities to deny our fellow citizens the opportunity to compete for scholarships because they were born in the United States.”

Scholarships under the microscope.

UM’s Dreamers Scholarship and WMU’s Undocumented/DACA Scholarship—along with the Elissa Gatlin Endowed Scholarship limited to African, Native or Hispanic American students—are now under scrutiny, joined by similar investigations at Louisville, Nebraska–Omaha and Miami. 

Complaints filed by the Legal Insurrection Foundation’s Equal Protection Project allege these awards breach Title VI by favoring non‑citizens, according to The Detroit News.

“Discrimination against American‑born students must not be tolerated,” Equal Protection Project founder William A. Jacobson said, whose group is urging the Office for Civil Rights to impose fines, suspend federal aid or refer the case to the Justice Department.

UM and WMU respond.

UM Director of Public Affairs Kay Jarvis confirmed the university received the notification letter but offered no additional comment. WMU spokeswoman Paula Davis said her school “takes compliance seriously,” is reviewing its programs and “will cooperate with authorities.”

“As we mark President Trump’s historic six months back in the White House,” Trainor said, “we are expanding our enforcement efforts to protect American students and lawful residents from invidious national origin discrimination of the kind alleged here.”