On April 8, the Dept. of Homeland Security announced it was cancelling Biden-era grants to nine colleges and universities that had been tasked to use hundreds of millions in federal taxpayer funds to help secure U.S. borders, fight transnational criminals and foster lawful trade and travel.

It turns out that some money was being funneled into woke ideological agendas like an anti-colonialist project at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).

According to a report from NextGov.com, DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), will halt these grants as it refocuses its priorities under the new Trump administration.

UAA had used part of its grant to promote Alaska Native language revitalization and to raise alarm about “intergenerational trauma, colonization and colonialism.”

The money, which included a $46 million grant to UAA was intended to be part of a collaborative, multi-year approach that included partnerships with industry leaders and others on national security initiatives.

A memo sent to S&T staffers, however, explained that the funding for these efforts was being terminated due to “potential misalignment with current strategic priorities” and conflicts with DHS’s updated priorities under Trump’s recent executive orders, NexGov.com reported.

UAA had used part of its grant to fund projects such as the “Indigenous Elder, Knowledge Keeper, and Leader-in-Residence Program,” which sought to instruct Homeland Security professionals about indigenous practices, while promoting Alaska Native language revitalization, and raising alarm about “intergenerational trauma, colonization and colonialism.” This project included “one-on-one sessions” to help participants incorporate “indigenous histories, languages, and worldviews” into a “more inclusive and holistic learning experience for all.” Other funds were directed to environmental modeling, graduate degree programs, and community engagement opportunities for “Minority Serving Institutions nationwide.”

UAA’s website notes that the $46 million DHS grant was awarded in January 2024, to establish the Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC)-ARCTIC Center of Excellence (COE) for Homeland Security in the Arctic. Led by Jeffery Libby, the UAA-based center was tasked with conducting research that would strengthen Arctic national security forces.

The cancellation of the grants is part of Trump’s wider, large-scale reductions in the federal workforce across all governmental agencies in order to improve efficiencies and cut waste and fraud of taxpayer dollars.

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