Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector

U.S. House members in two of Alabama’s three districts with major automotive plants Thursday criticized President Donald Trump’s plans to impose 25% tariffs on automobiles and automobile parts.

The tariffs could hit Alabama’s car plants hard. Most of Alabama’s leading imports in 2023 — including oil, engines, transmissions and ignition sets – went toward building automobiles.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, whose district includes the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, wrote on social media Thursday that she has not supported tariffs on automobile parts since Trump proposed them in his first term in 2019.

In 2019, Sewell and 160 other lawmakers sent a letter to the National Economic Council Director opposing the tariffs citing increased prices on consumers and the possibility of loss of jobs.

“We agreed that they would raise prices, hurt consumers and manufacturers, and weaken our economy,” she wrote on Thursday. “It’s still true today.”

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, whose district includes the Hyundai plant outside Montgomery, echoed the concern of increased prices and lost jobs in a statement Thursday.

“The reality is that the companies are not going to absorb those expenses; they’re going to pass them off to people who purchase vehicles in my district, in the state, and across the country,” he said.

Figures also noted that the tariffs are another policy by the Trump administration that will hurt everyday Americans.

“These tariffs are yet another example of this administration acting without considering how it will impact everyday people, and most certainly not considering how it will affect people in industries in the state of Alabama,” he said.

Messages seeking comment from U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, whose district includes a Honda plant outside Lincoln, were left Thursday morning.

Trump signed the executive order Wednesday. The tariffs will go into effect on April 2.

Representatives of the state’s automobile industry were much more cautious about the tariffs on Thursday.

Jennifer Safavian, CEO of Auto Drive America (ADA), said the tariffs will definitely lead to higher vehicle prices across the country in a phone interview Thursday. The organization represents five automotive manufacturers in Alabama: Honda in Lincoln, Hyundai in Montgomery, Mazda Toyota in Huntsville and two Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plants outside Tuscaloosa.

“No question, there ‘ill be higher costs because of the tariffs, which will in turn increase prices for vehicles,” Safavian said.

Safavian said the company had a consulting firm model what the tariffs will impact. Under the 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and previously announced 10% tariffs on all imported goods, Safavian said the price of vehicles would increase about 8%, or $4,000. The model was done considering the entire automotive industry, not just Alabama.

According to ADA’s 2023 economic impact report, Alabama auto manufacturers have 19 models that are built with parts from 42 countries and territories. Statewide, Alabama auto manufacturers employ 90,000 people. Safavian said those jobs could be at risk due to a projected decrease in sales and production.

“If there’s less production, whether it’s because there’s less sales in the United States or there’s fewer sales abroad, I don’t know what that ultimately means, but that’s why it’s a concern that it certainly could threaten jobs,” she said.

Edith Müller-Callsen, manager of corporate affairs communications for Mercedes-Benz, wrote in a statement that the company employs 163,000 jobs across its manufacturing plants and dealerships across the country. She said the company is still assessing the effect of the tariffs.

“As a global company, we rely on constructive cooperation and policies that promote mutually beneficial trade across international markets,” she said. “Mercedes-Benz supports free and fair trade that underpins prosperity, growth and innovation.”

Requests for comment from Honda and Hyundai were sent Thursday.

Ron Davis, the president of the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association, said Thursday he was “not free to speak on this topic.”

Messages seeking comment from the Business Council of Alabama were left Thursday morning.

Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said Thursday that “we don’t need teachers panicking, we don’t need parents panicking” amid widespread cuts to the federal workforce, including the U.S. Department of Education.

“They just need to focus on getting the work done, and we’ll get it done,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Education announced workforce cuts on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Mackey said the state department was unable to access nearly $9 million of its federal funding.

“When our folks went in, the portal simply didn’t work. It was completely shut down,” Mackey said Thursday after the State Board of Education meeting around 10:45 a.m. “And then there was a message that said that due to the reduction in federal labor force, there would be a very long wait at the help desk.”

Mackey said around 12:30 p.m. Thursday that the state was able to get that money back.

“It’s just like your online banking account. Just because you do a transaction, you don’t do a remote deposit on the check,” Mackey said.

The superintendent did voice concerns about cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees funding for free-and-reduced lunches. The agency also supports farm-to-table initiatives for Alabama school lunch programs, which is largely supported by the Central Alabama Food Bank.

“The federal funding they get, all flows through us, the Department of Agriculture to us, and us out there too,” he said.

The Department of Agriculture also supports bringing fresh produce to schools, like apples and satsuma oranges, Mackey said. He said there is an apple orchard in Madison County and a satsuma farm in Mobile County that provides these fresh fruits to schools.

“We go buy from a neighborhood farmer. It actually usually costs a little more, but we think that’s worth it,” he said.

Mackey said with the cut in workforce, students will not get the fresh produce. The state department received a $16 million federal grant that allowed the farm-to-school program.

“They’re going to get plenty of food, all the cafeterias, but it might not be farm-to-school,” he said. “I’m in hopes that we can find a way to maybe work with the Ag Commissioner to kind of keep that going, but we won’t have any federal money to pay for it.”

Mackey said it is highly unlikely for the U.S. Department of Education to be dismantled. That would require congressional action, including 60 votes in the Senate which Republicans narrowly control.

“It was established by Congress. It would take an act of Congress to abolish it,” he said. “It is, by the way, the smallest federal cabinet level agency already.”

The U.S. Department of Education administers Title I programs, which provide funding for academics at high-poverty schools, and help fund special education programs and education programs for children with disabilities. About one-third of Alabama schools are high-poverty, according to al.com.

Board members asked Mackey what they should tell parents when they are worried about their students, especially those who need special education.

Vice President Tonya Chestnut said a parent called her worried about how a looming government shutdown will affect their child’s special education.

“Special education federal funds are continuing to flow, and those children have protected rights under federal law, and it would take an act of Congress, truly, to change that,” Mackey said.

Mackey also said that even if the federal government shuts down, the state funds more special education than the federal government, which funds less than 20% of special education in the state. The superintendent also said that even though a government shutdown would impact the state, students should not notice a difference if the U.S. Senate fails to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through September.

“It would definitely have an impact. But again, on the day-to-day, children going to schools shouldn’t see any change in the classroom,” Mackey said.