TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The fight to save Job Corps isn't over.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate the program, which is the largest residential job training program for low-income youth in the United States.
ORIGINAL STORY | Tucson students face uncertainty after Labor Department pauses Job Corps centers operations
But in Tucson, dorms at the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center have already been largely emptied. As of Thursday, former students told KGUN 9 there were only four students left in the dorms.
Originally, students were told to clear out by Friday, June 6. Then, that deadline changed to Wednesday, June 4, according to students.
Former students Coletyn Allison and Gabriel Mendoza said about 180 students had been living in the dorms — and some had nowhere to go.
"Just that type of instinct that kicks in when you know you're kind of on your own," Mendoza said.
Allison and Mendoza both enrolled at the Fred G. Acosta center this spring. For them, Job Corps offered not just career training and education — but also stable housing.
"I was couch surfing for four years," Mendoza said, recalling his life before entering the program. "Not really having anywhere to stay for more than a couple of months."
The two had been active in student government, even giving campaign speeches the day before they were told operations were being paused.
"Honestly, we had a lot of plans that didn't get to see the light of day," Allison said.
"We had goals set in mind. We were getting a lot, a lot of support from the students," added Mendoza, who was set to become student body president.
Last week, the Department of Labor released a 2023 performance analysis of Job Corps, citing a 38.6% graduation rate along with cost and safety concerns as justification for its proposed shutdown.
However, the National Job Corps Association pushed back in its own report, stating that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted enrollment and graduation metrics — and that, historically, graduation rates have exceeded 60%.
As confusion spread and students rushed to meet the Wednesday deadline, some ended up at the Gospel Rescue Mission homeless shelter Tuesday night, according to Mendoza and Allison.
But not everyone felt comfortable with that option.
"A lot of people were stressing, and some people even left early just because they were, like, intimidated by the fact that we were going to be sent to a shelter," Mendoza said.
Then, the city of Tucson stepped in — offering emergency housing for 12 students, including Mendoza and Allison, through its Housing First program.
"It's really nice having somewhere clean to go to at night, somewhere I can take a shower, you know, sleep in a bed that's warm," Allison said. "Even if it's just one meal a day that they provide us, it's enough. I'm honestly really grateful for it because I don't know where I'd be without it."
Still, the future remains uncertain — for students and staff alike.
On Tuesday, the Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center filed a notice stating that 124 employees could be impacted by layoffs. The notice was labeled “non-WARN,” meaning the employer claims the layoffs don’t meet the federal threshold requiring advance notice under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.
That classification is self-reported and does not represent a final legal determination. If WARN were found to apply, employees would typically be entitled to 60 days' advance notice.
"It's really sad to think that their future is just as uncertain as mine is," Allison said.
However, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, barring the U.S. Department of Labor from proceeding with any shutdown-related actions — including staff terminations or student removals — without congressional approval.
According to court documents obtained by KGUN 9, the order halts all closures until a hearing scheduled for June 17, when the court will determine whether the administration’s actions are lawful.
In the meantime, Mendoza and Allison say they remain hopeful as they continue working with the city’s Housing First program.
"They're going to keep housing us until they get us into an apartment and we sign a lease,” Allison said. "They're also going to help us find employment, and there's also a bunch of other resources here in Tucson that are helping us."
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
