Fresno must cut DEI language and help ICE or lose funding, federal officials say
San Joaquin Valley cities, including Fresno, were recently recipients of a letter from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy warning them they could lose out on federal funding if they did not drop DEI language and cooperate with immigration enforcement.
The letter, dated April 24 and signed by Duffy, said contract language, hiring practices and other municipal policies should be based on merit and should not account for a “prohibited category” like race or sex.
President Donald Trump’s administration has made a sweeping effort throughout the country to clip out any language related to efforts around DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Whether or not described in neutral terms, any policy, program, or activity that is premised on a prohibited classification, including discriminatory policies or practices designed to achieve so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’ or ‘DEI,’ goals, presumptively violates federal law,” the letter said.
A couple of Fresno-area programs have already seen funding cut in recent weeks. Anti-violence program Advanced Peace lost $2 million in funding, and First 5 Madera County ceased all services after cuts.
The letter also demands that cities cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or risk losing federal money allotted to transportation in the region.
The threat may not have much bite in Fresno where much of the roadway is maintained through state gas taxes or dollars from Measure C, a half-cent sales tax in Fresno County.
The Fresno Mayor’s Office brushed off the letter as a “form letter” sent to many cities in the San Joaquin Valley.
“We have received the form letter from the U.S. Transportation Secretary and have asked our legal team to review the latest policy actions from the Trump administration,” Mayor Jerry Dyer said in a statement. “Their analysis will help us determine what, if any, impact these policies may have on the city of Fresno.”
A number of cities in the Valley considered or passed resolutions in the wake of Trump’s election to show solidarity with undocumented residents.
Madera named itself a “welcoming city” last month, stopping short of becoming a sanctuary city while trying to send a message to its undocumented residents. Leaders said they want residents to report crimes to police without the fear of getting deported.
It was not immediately clear if Madera received the same letter. Officials reached by phone had not seen a letter but could not rule it out.
“Declining to cooperate with the enforcement of Federal immigration law or otherwise taking action intended to shield illegal aliens from ICE detection contravenes federal law and may give rise to civil and criminal liability,” Duffy’s letter said.
Madera officials said previously the city does get a significant amount of transportation dollars from the federal government. A $31.4 million upgrade to Highway 41 between Highway 145 and Avenue 15 got a federal assist, for example.
Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias called the letter “laughable.”
“It’s kind of ridiculous to pull transportation funds,” Arias said. “How does paving a street correlate with participating with the Border Patrol?”
He said the city’s lawyers were reviewing the letter and any potential effects.
“I don’t want to dismiss it, because it’s an unprecedented threat, but I believe it’s a meritless threat with no teeth,” he said.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM.
