Federal Government

Protesters opposing recent actions by the Trump administration will gather Saturday in front of Ann Arbor’s Federal Building for a "People’s March." WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

Ypsilanti Community Schools is raising concerns about the future of their students and federal education programs after President Trump signed an executive order beginning the shutdown of the Department of Education. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the story.

President James Smith of Eastern Michigan University has responded to President Donald Trump’s executive order facilitating the shutdown of the Department of Education. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she will travel to Washington D.C. soon to lobby federal officials against proposed big cuts to the U.S. Department of Education and retaliatory tariffs against Canada and other trading partners. We have more from Rick Pluta.

The Trump administration is cancelling or defunding a number of initiatives that have been investing in environmental and energy justice. These are programs that, in some cases, have a direct impact on Washtenaw County. The Biden-era Justice40 program has been cancelled. WEMU's David Fair spoke with one of the architects of that program, Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, who is the former White House Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer and is founder and CEO of Empowering a Green Environment and Economy, LLC.

The Trump Administration has been slashing government in a variety of areas, including the Environmental Protection Agency. Region 5 of the EPA covers the Great Lakes area and includes Washtenaw County. The layoffs have the potential to impact the agency’s ability to steward the environment around the world’s largest body of fresh water. And the impact on public health could be significant. Loreen Targos is Executive Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees-Local 704, which represents about 1,000 EPA workers. She spoke with WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak about employee cuts and the implications.

The Michigan Senate Oversight Committee held a hearing Wednesday on the impact recent federal grant funding interruptions have had on service organizations in the state. Colin Jackson has more.

The Washtenaw Legislative Delegation will host a town hall Thursday to hear constituent concerns about the ongoing federal budget and employee cuts. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell says there are a lot of challenges facing the 6th U.S. House district and asks everyone to keep fighting to protect their rights and needs. Dingell was at the Gerald R. Ford Library on Friday to give her annual State of the District address. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County will continue to do all it can to help refugees coming to the area despite the elimination of its federal funding. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert has this report.