PROJECT 2025
WHATISPROJECT2025?
Project2025isaninitiativespearheadedbytheHeritage Foundation.Itsgoalistoprovidethenextconservative Presidentialadministrationwithcomprehensivepolicyand personnelresources.In2023,itunveileda900-pagepolicy blueprintdesignedtoshapetheagendaofthenext Republicanpresident.Thedocumentisthemostrecent policyplanintheMandateforLeadershipseriesprovidedto everyRepublicanpresidentialcandidatesince1980.This editionoutlinessweepingpolicyproposalsonawiderange ofissuesthatwouldaffectnearlyeveryaspectofAmerican lifeandchangethesystemofchecksandbalances institutedatourcountry’sfounding.
WHOWROTEPROJECT2025?
TheHeritageFoundation,anAmericanconservativethinktankbasedin Washington,DC,spearheadedProject2025.Itsstatedmissionis“toformulate andpromotepublicpoliciesbasedontheprinciplesoffreeenterprise,limited government,individualfreedom,traditionalAmericanvalues,andastrong nationaldefense.” PaulDans,aformerHeritageFoundationemployeeand thedirectoroftheproject,wasanofficialintheTrumpAdministration.The thirty-fiveauthorsandnearly450organizationsthatcontributedtothe projecthavesignificanttiestotheRepublicanparty.In2018,theHeritage Foundationreportedthatthen-PresidentTrumphadembraced64%ofthe policiesinthe2016edition,thoughhehasdeniedanyinvolvementinProject 2025.
PROJECT2025’SIMPACTSONBLACKCOMMUNITIES
Atitscore,Project2025seekstoerasevitalprotectionsthathavebolstered Blackadvancementinthiscountry.
CIVILRIGHTS
Project2025seekstodismantlethecivilrightsdivisionsoftheDepartmentof LaborandtheDepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopment,which investigateworkplaceandhousingdiscrimination.Itwouldalsopreventthe DepartmentofJusticefrominvestigatingvotersuppressionandelection subversion,whichwouldremoveacruciallayerofoversightthatsafeguards everyAmerican'srighttovote.Inaddition,Project2025seekstooutlaw diversity,equity,andinclusion(DEI)effortsinfederalagenciesandbanwhatit calls“anti-whiteindoctrination,”includingcriticalracetheoryandaffirmative action.Ifsuccessful,thesechangeswouldstripawaycareerandeducational opportunitiesforpeopleofcolor,furtherreducingresourcesforBlack communitiesthathavelongfacedsystemicbarriers.
CRIMINALJUSTICE
Whilemostcriminaljusticereformscurrentlyoccuratthestateandlocallevels, Project2025advocatesforalargerfederalroleinlawenforcement,with potentialnegativeimplicationsforBlackcommunities.Motivatedbyamandate to“restorelawandorder,”Project2025targetsprogressiveprosecutorsand empowersthefederalgovernmenttobringchargesagainstindividualsit believeslocaljurisdictionshavewrongfullyallowedtoevaderesponsibilityfor theirconduct.Theplanalsoincludesincreasingpolicefundingandreducing supportforcommunity-basedalternatives,suchasmentalhealthresponders. Theseprograms,whichdispatchunarmedresponderstoaddressmentalhealth crisesandhomelessness,havebeensuccessfulindiffusingpolice-citizen conflictsincitieslikeChicagoandLosAngeles.Additionally,Project2025calls fortheincreaseduseofthedeathpenaltyandstricterfederalsentencesfor drugpossession.Thesedirectiveswouldempowerthefederalgovernmentto enforceinequitablelawsthatcontributetotheoverrepresentationofBlack citizensinthecriminallegalsystem.
ECONOMY
AspartofthedismantlingofDEIinitiatives,Project2025proposesthe eliminationoffederalprogramsthatsupportBlack-ownedbusinessesthrough low-interestloansandblockgrants.Itwouldalsolimitovertimebenefitsfor hourlyandserviceworkers,agroupthatincludes22%ofBlackAmericans whorelyonsuchjobstomakeendsmeet. TheSmallBusinessAdministration, whichfostersBlackentrepreneurshipandeconomicmobility,wouldbe prohibitedfromusingraceasacriterionforequitablelending.Project2025 alsocallsforcutstoSupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP) funding,whichincludes25%ofthetotalBlackpopulationintheU.S. For BlackAmericansalreadystrivingtoclosetheracialwealthgap,these proposalswouldonlydeepeneconomicinequalities.
EDUCATION
Project2025seekstoeliminatetheU.S.DepartmentofEducation,shiftingall schoolfundingdecisionstothestates.TheplanwouldabolishTitleI,afederal programthatfundspublicschoolswith40%ormoreofstudentsreceiving freeorreducedlunch. Inthe2018-19schoolyear,5.4millionBlackchildren attendedTitleIschools.Endingthisprogramwouldincreaseeducational disparitiesbetweenWhiteandBlackstudents.Additionally,federaloversight ofprotectionsforK-12studentswithdisabilitieswouldbeshiftedtothestatelevel,leadingtoinconsistentsupportforsomeofthemostvulnerable schoolchildren.Furthermore,itwouldendincome-basedrepaymentprograms forstudentloans,whichover85%ofBlackstudentsrelyon,carryingan averagedebtof$50,000.
HEALTHCARE
Project2025callsforsignificantMedicaidfundingcutsandintroduceslifetime capsonbenefits.In2020,28%ofMedicaidandChildren’sHealthInsurance Program(CHIP)enrolleeswereBlack. CuttingMedicaidfundingwouldleave millionsoflow-incomeBlackAmericanswithoutaccesstoessential healthcare.Additionally,Project2025advocatesforrepealingtheAffordable CareAct(ACA),whichprovidedhealthcoveragetonearly3millionBlack Americansinitsfirsteightyears.RepealingtheACAwouldmakehealthcare accessevenmoreprecarious.
IMMIGRATION
Project2025wouldeliminatetheTemporaryProtectedStatus(TPS) designationissuedtoimmigrantswhoareunabletoreturnhomesafelydueto dangerouscircumstancesintheirhomecountries.Thispolicywould significantlyimpactBlackimmigrants,includingmorethan200,000Haitian nationalsandthousandsofBlackrefugeesfleeinggenocideinSudanand Cameroon. ItalsoadvocatesfortherepealoftheFloresSettlement Agreement,a25-year-oldcourt-approvedframeworkthatensuresthe humanetreatmentofminorswhoenterthecountryunlawfully.Thischange wouldpermitthefederalgovernmenttodetainminorsforoverthreeweeks withoutaparentorguardianandwithoutprovidingadequatefoodandwater. Additionally,Project2025callsforamerit-basedimmigrationsystem,which wouldprioritizeskillsoverfamilyconnections,andseekstoeliminateTandU visasforvictimsofhumantraffickingandothercrimes.Theseimmigration policieswouldhavecatastrophicconsequencesforBlackcommunitiesinthe U.S.andfortheU.S.'sreputationasadefenderofhumanrightsworldwide.
REPRODUCTIVERIGHTS
Project2025callsforrescindingFoodandDrugAdministrationapprovalof mifepristone,asafemedicationnecessaryforat-homeabortions.Project 2025alsoproposeseliminatinghealthinsurancecoverageforemergency contraceptiveslikePlanBanddeclassifyingbirthcontrolpillsasroutine preventativemedication.Exemptingthesemedicationsfromcoverageunder theACAwouldraisepricessignificantlyandcreatebarrierstoaccessfor low-incomepeople.
REFERENCES
Project2025.(n.d.).Project2025:PresidentialTransitionPlan.Project2025.https://www.project2025.org/.
TheHeritageFoundation.(2023,April21).Project2025PublishesComprehensivePolicyGuide,“Mandatefor Leadership:TheConservativePromise.”TheHeritageFoundation. https://www.heritage.org/press/project-2025publishes-comprehensive-policy-guide-mandate-leadership-the-conservative-promise.
TheHeritageFoundation.(n.d.).AboutHeritage.TheHeritageFoundation.https://www.heritage.org/aboutheritage/mission.
TheHeritageFoundation.(2018,January23).TrumpAdministrationEmbracesHeritageFoundationPolicy Recommendations.TheHeritageFoundation. https://www.heritage.org/impact/trump-administration-embracesheritage-foundation-policy-recommendations.
Sy,A.B.(2023,April1).DeconstructingMisconceptions:UnderstandingCriticalRaceTheory.Congressional BlackCaucusFoundation.
https://issuu.com/congressionalblackcaucusfoundation/docs/2023_cbcf_cpar_deconstructing_misconcepti ons.
Thompson,C.(2024,July25).SendingUnarmedRespondersInsteadofPolice:WhatWe’veLearned.The SentencingProject.https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/07/25/police-mental-health-alternative-911.
U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.(2021,November1).Laborforcecharacteristicsbyraceandethnicity,2020.U.S. BureauofLaborStatistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-andethnicity/2020/#:~:text=About%2018%20percent%20of%20employed%20Black%20and. DeSilver,D.(2023,July19).WhatthedatasaysaboutfoodstampsintheU.S.PewResearchCenter. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/19/what-the-data-says-about-food-stamps-in-the-u-s/.
FormoreonTitleI,seeWilkerson,S.(2024,January12).EducationEquityUnderThreat:TheDefundingofTitleI andTitleIIPrograms.CongressionalBlackCaucusFoundation. https://issuu.com/congressionalblackcaucusfoundation/docs/2023_cbcf_cpar_education_equity_under_thr eat?fr=sNzQ1YjYzNjE2ODA.
AnnieE.CaseyFoundation.(2021,July1).ChildreninTitleIschoolsbyraceandethnicityinUnitedStates.Annie E.CaseyFoundation. https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/8418-children-in-title-i-schools-by-race-andethnicity#detailed/1/any/false/1696,1648,1603,1539,1381,1246,1124,1021,909,857/133/17042.
Grabenstein,H.,&Khan,S.(2022,April11).StudentloandebthasalastingeffectonBlackborrowers,despite thelatestfreezeinpayments.PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/student-loan-debt-has-a-lastingeffect-on-black-borrowers-despite-the-latest-freeze-in-payments.
CentersforMedicaidandMedicare.(2021,March21).RaceandethnicityofthenationalMedicaidandCHIP populationin2020.CentersforMedicaidandMedicare.https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/data-andsystems/downloads/macbis/2020-race-etncity-data-brf.pdf.
NationalImmigrationForum.(2024,August15).FactSheet:TemporaryProtectedStatus(TPS).National ImmigrationForum.https://immigrationforum.org/article/fact-sheet-temporary-protected-status/.