Justice Department sues Illinois over in-state tuition for undocumented residents

Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Justice website

Caitlyn Rosen for Courthouse News reports that the U.S. Department of Justice yesterday filed a lawsuit challenging Illinois’ law allowing in-state tuition and scholarship opportunities to children of undocumented immigrants.  Here is the page complaint.

The Justice Department alleges that several Illinois statutes violate U.S. immigration laws and the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.  Here is the DOJ press release.

This is not the first suit challenging state laws allowing undocumented residents to pay in-state fees for college.  “The Justice Department has filed similar lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Texas quickly agreed to the Trump administration’s demands, ending in-state tuition rates for residents without legal status just hours after the Justice Department filed its lawsuit in June.”

Reporters have been asking me for weeks when the Trump administration will challenge California’s AB 540, which allows eligible undocumented students to pay in-state fees.

UPDATE (Sept. 4):  Here is another story on more challenges to in-state tuition for undocumented students.

KJ