President Trump’s administration is cracking down on states offering in-state tuition to illegal migrants while charging out-of-state Americans full price, taking legal action to protect American students and taxpayers.
After winning in Texas—where the state backed down and ended reduced tuition for illegals before going to court—and filing suit in Kentucky, Trump’s Department of Justice has now sued Minnesota over its migrant tuition giveaways. The DOJ argues that these policies violate federal law and unconstitutionally discriminate against American students who do not receive the same financial benefits.
“No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “The Department of Justice just won on this exact issue in Texas, and we look forward to taking this fight to Minnesota.”
The moves follow Trump’s executive order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” which directs federal agencies to block state and local policies that favor illegal aliens over American citizens. The order specifically targets in-state tuition policies for illegal migrants while out-of-state American citizens remain ineligible for the same discounts.
These lawsuits mark a significant shift from the Biden years, where border chaos and catch-and-release policies allowed illegal migration to soar while states adopted policies granting taxpayer-funded benefits to those in the country unlawfully. Trump’s DOJ is making it clear that these state-level giveaways will face legal challenges under federal law.
Critics of tuition breaks for illegal migrants argue that these policies unfairly burden American families and taxpayers while rewarding those who broke the law to enter the country. They note that American parents often work long hours, pay taxes, and move states to secure better educational opportunities for their children—only to watch states give preferential treatment to illegal migrants.
Supporters of Trump’s actions believe this is a key move in restoring law and order to America’s immigration system, ensuring that American citizens come first, and halting incentives that encourage illegal immigration. By enforcing federal law, the administration is working to close loopholes that allow state governments to undermine immigration enforcement while disadvantaging U.S. citizens.
The fight is far from over, with other states potentially facing similar lawsuits if they continue offering taxpayer-funded tuition breaks to illegal migrants while denying the same benefits to American citizens. As the Trump administration presses forward, the battle over whether states can give illegal migrants financial benefits at taxpayer expense will shape the conversation about fairness, immigration enforcement, and protecting American families.