Five years after gaining Congressional approval, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL) is still awaiting a permanent site. Despite recent efforts by a bipartisan group of senators, significant progress has yet to be made. The proposed legislation aims to secure a location on the National Mall, facing resistance from the Trump administration’s stance against programs perceived to divide Americans by race.
A bipartisan coalition, including Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Democratic Senator Alex Padilla, has co-sponsored a bill introduced recently. The bill seeks to transfer land on the National Mall to the Smithsonian for the museum’s construction. This initiative follows a period of increased deportations under the Trump administration, which has also affected Latino U.S. citizens and legal residents.
Erika Hirugami, co-founder of the UNDOC+ Collective, expressed irony over NMAL’s approval during Trump’s presidency, citing the administration’s oppressive actions toward undocumented communities. The museum, initially proposed under the Obama administration in 2008, faced delays when Republicans blocked its approval in the Senate. Though Congress approved the museum’s creation in December 2020, efforts to limit taxpayer funding have stalled its development.
The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act proposes transferring a site near the Washington Monument for the museum, similar to a concurrent bill for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. However, new government funding will not be provided, and the museum’s estimated start-up costs of $600 to $800 million are expected to be partially funded by Congress and private donations from corporations like Fox, McDonald’s, and Ford.
In 2024, Republican attempts to block taxpayer funding for the Latino museum and its inaugural gallery faced criticism. The exhibition, ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States, received backlash for its perceived portrayal of history and economics. Despite advocacy, a spot on the National Mall was not included in a 2023 funding bill. Prominent cultural figures continue to advocate for the museum’s presence on the Mall, with two Republicans, Cruz and Moreno, joining the bill amidst controversial directives from the Trump administration. NMAL has not commented on the matter.
