Justice Department sues states over undocumented immigrant tuition policies

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, challenging their policies regarding in-state tuition and financial aid for undocumented immigrants at public colleges and universities.

The lawsuit alleges that these policies discriminate against United States citizens from out-of-state, who are required to pay full tuition. In New York, students attending State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) schools rely on reduced in-state tuition rates.

Immigrant students have expressed concern that a successful legal challenge could make higher education unaffordable, potentially forcing them to withdraw from their studies and abandon their career goals.