Students and employees in Milwaukee left questioning what's next as Job Corps could shut down with federal cuts looming

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Students and educators at the Milwaukee Job Corps Center are not sure what's ahead for their education and careers after the federal government pulled funding for the program. 

Job Corps is a free program for thousands of low-income students across the country. On May 29, the U.S. Department of Labor announced it would suspend operations at its 99 Job Corps centers due to budget constraints.

In Milwaukee, 230 community members, 100 staff members and 130 students utilize the program. On June 10, elected leaders in the city and county came together to denounce the cuts. 

“Job Corps means hope. Job Corps means opportunity. It’s a chance to get their lives on sound footing for a more structured life and better access for good paying job opportunities as well," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.

“This is the direct hit to the futures of countless people right here in our own community and around the country," Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said. “This does not make America skilled again. It makes our young people homeless. It makes families have to scramble. It makes our communities weaker. "

Job Crops are federally funded centers that offer career training, housing and career assistance to more than 25,000 young people ages 16 to 24. The Labor Department program was funded by Congress in 1964 and has generally received bipartisan support.

Former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barret said he advocated for the center when he was a freshman member of Congress. 

"When it finally opened, it fulfilled a dream to give young people a chance to succeed," Barret said. “President Trump is telling these young people he doesn’t care about them.”

The Department of Labor reported online that in 2024, the program was in a $140 million deficit and is expected to cost another $213 million this year. The federal government also cited low graduation rates and thousands of serious incident reports — including sexual assaults, drug use, and violence. However, former students in the program, like Chi Obasi, said the program is crucial for growth and development. 

"Job Corps gave me an opportunity. When I came here, I was lost. I was broken. I was looking for a place where I could better myself. Where I could do better, and Job Corps stands for all of those things," Obasi said.

On Wednesday, U.S District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan temporarily blocked the Trump administration from eliminating the Job Corps program while the case plays out.

The temporary restraining order was issued after Job Corps contractors sued the Trump administration arguing the Labor Department violated federal law by shutting down the Job Corps centers and said the White House does not have the power to dismantle a program established and funded by Congress.

A hearing is set for June 17.