Trump Cancels Tuition for Students Without Status

• Thousands of students without legal status are losing tuition privileges.
• The Justice Department has filed lawsuits against several states.
• In Texas, nearly 57,000 students without status are studying at state universities.

AUSTIN, Texas — Thousands of college students in the U.S. without legal status are losing their right to tuition privileges under a campaign by President Donald Trump against immigration.

The U.S. Justice Department has initiated legal proceedings against several states to cancel tuition for students without legal status, starting with Texas in June. Lawsuits have also been filed in Kentucky, Minnesota, and recently, Oklahoma. Last year, the state of Florida canceled its tuition for students living there illegally.

The Justice Department asserts that "federal law prohibits immigrants who do not have legal status in the U.S. from receiving tuition privileges that are not available to citizens of the U.S. from other states."

Tuition privileges, which many have used widely with broad bipartisan support, have recently faced criticism from the Republican side.

Texas Program Canceled First

Texas politics regarding education was first accepted with broad bipartisan support to provide access to higher education for students without legal status. The law allowed students who had lived in Texas for three years prior to graduating from high school to receive in-state tuition.

Currently, in Texas, nearly 57,000 students without legal status are studying at state universities. The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, for example, charges approximately $10,000 for tuition for residents and $19,000 for non-residents.

Political Support and Rapid Completion

The Texas law had remained unchallenged for many years, but with the intensified debates on illegal immigration, it has become subject to criticism. After the Trump administration filed lawsuits against the constitutionality of the law, the Texas Attorney General refused to defend it.

Impact on Universities Across the Country

Currently, 21 states have laws or policies that allow tuition privileges for immigrant students. According to the National Immigration Law Center, at least 16 states allow these students to receive scholarships or other financial aid for education.

Lawyers focusing on immigration issues and educational activism evaluate potential legal methods for challenging rulings.

Tags: USA/Politics