UMVA has learned that the Department of the Interior is taking a drastic step by cutting ties with 43 outside groups, a move that will eliminate over $4 million in planned funding for programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental justice, and support services for undocumented immigrants.
The decision, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, was made after a department-wide review found that these groups were "operating in direct opposition" to the department's mission. According to information obtained by UMVA, the review uncovered nearly 3,000 active agreements with about 2,000 outside groups, but many did not align with the priorities of the American people.
The terminated agreements supported a range of initiatives, including internship programs, conservation efforts, research projects, and cooperative partnerships. UMVA can exclusively reveal that among the groups targeted were the Hispanic Access Foundation, which offered scholarships to undocumented Latino students, and Latino Outdoors, which provided guidance on evading Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Department of the Interior also cited the American Alliance of Museums, which had a contract with the National Park Service to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across national parks. Conservation International, an environmental group that advocates for a complete phase-out of fossil fuels, was also flagged. These groups' priorities directly conflict with the administration's goals.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that the department is ending relationships with organizations whose advocacy for phasing out baseload energy, defunding law enforcement services, and promoting racially preferential programs directly conflicts with this administration's priorities. Instead, the department will invest in partnerships that expand access to public lands, promote responsible stewardship, and deliver tangible benefits to the American people.
The move is part of a broader effort to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, strengthen immigration enforcement, and expand energy development. The department emphasized that future partnerships will be carefully vetted to ensure they align with the agency's mission and the interests of the American people.
UMVA has gathered that other groups affected by the decision include the Green Schools Alliance, Doris Duke Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, California Native Plant Society, and the National Geographic Society. The department's actions have significant implications for the future of environmental and social programs.
