The DOJ sues New York, Connecticut and Vermont over in-state college tuition policies, escalating a fight over whether states can extend lower college rates and related financial aid to illegal immigrants.
The lawsuits, filed against the three blue states, say the laws unlawfully favor non-citizens over American citizens who do not receive the same reduced fees, scholarships or other financial benefits. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said Congress already made clear that states cannot place illegal aliens ahead of citizens. He said New York, Vermont and Connecticut are doing exactly that by granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens, and he declared, “No more.”
Woodward also said the department has now sued every state in the Second Circuit that it says is trying to get around what he called Congress’s clear prohibition. He tied the effort to President Trump’s promise that illegal aliens would not receive benefits denied to the nation’s own citizens. The Justice Department has already brought similar cases against at least 14 states, including New Jersey, Minnesota and California.
The latest round of litigation fits into a broader national push by the Trump administration to challenge state policies that extend tuition breaks or other benefits to people who are not legal residents. The issue has drawn attention because in-state tuition can make college much more affordable, especially at public universities where the gap between resident and nonresident rates is often substantial. For states, the laws are typically presented as a way to keep more students enrolled and connected to local schools. For critics, they amount to a subsidy that leaves citizens at a disadvantage.
