In a move sending shockwaves across the country, President Donald Trump has announced plans to shut down the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program, triggering widespread outrage from educators, workforce leaders, and civil rights advocates who say the decision is a “direct attack on America’s most vulnerable youth.”

The Department of Labor announced the decision on May 30, and has already removed thousands of students from the campuses and forced them to return home, leaving many with nowhere to go and no immediate support.

Job Corps operates more than 120 centers across the U.S., offering vocational training, academic support, meals, and dormitory housing all free of charge for students 16 to 24. For many, it’s a lifeline and a structured environment that leads to real careers in construction, healthcare, cybersecurity, and more.

Trump labeled the program “wasteful and outdated,” claiming it would be replaced with private-sector alternatives. But critics say the President is playing politics with the futures of tens of thousands of at-risk youth, especially Black and Brown students who rely on Job Corps as a last chance at upward mobility.

Civil rights organizations and youth advocacy groups are pushing back hard, calling the move part of a pattern of Trump-era proposals that disproportionately harm underserved communities.

“This pause in Job Corps center operations derails the lives of thousands of young people and dedicated staff committed to strengthening our country’s workforce,” said Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar. This closure must be reversed immediately.”

Social media also erupted in protest, with hashtags like #SaveJobCorps and #HandsOffOurYouth trending on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Former Job Corps students shared personal testimonies about how the program changed their lives, from earning GEDs to launching careers in skilled trades.

“Job corps actually saved my life. I was at the end of the road and had nowhere else to turn to. I couldn’t afford to finish college, I was homeless at 17, working meaningless part time jobs. That is the reality for so many people at job corps.,” wrote user @lay4prez_