On April 24, 2025, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy issued a memo to every recipient of DOT financial assistance. The message: funding is at risk if recipients are found to be violating federal law - especially when it comes to immigration enforcement or running programs based on race or sex, even if the intention is to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI). On the surface, it sounds simple: follow the law, avoid discrimination, and there’s no problem. But is that factually corect?

If the raw data could be shared - especially at the city or county level - it would open the door to better decision-making across America's railtowns.

Rail communities aren’t powerless, but we do need to stop asking for a different game and start changing how we show up to the one we’re in.