The Trump administration is suing Illinois over state laws that allow illegal migrants to score in-state tuition discounts and scholarships as the White House continues to ratchet up pressure against sanctuary jurisdictions.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday sued the state of Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a slate of other state officials, alleging that local laws allowing in-state tuition and scholarships for illegal migrants unconstitutionally discriminates against American citizens who are not given the same reduced tuition rates, according to court documents. The complaint further contends that these policies are in direct conflict with federal law.
“Under federal law, schools cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a public statement.
“This Department of Justice has already filed multiple lawsuits to prevent U.S. students from being treated like second-class citizens — Illinois now joins the list of states where we are relentlessly fighting to vindicate federal law,” Bondi continued.
The DOJ lawsuit seeks to block enforcement of the Illinois laws that require universities and colleges to provide in-state tuition rates for illegal migrants who claim residency in the state, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
The Trump administration argues that federal law bars university institutions from doling out benefits to foreign nationals that are not also offered to U.S. citizens, meaning the Illinois laws in question conflict with the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
“Illinois has an apparent desire to win a ‘race to the bottom’ as the country’s leading sanctuary state,” U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois said in a public statement. “Its misguided approach mandating in-state tuition, scholarships, and financial aid to illegal aliens plainly violates federal law.”
“This policy treats illegal aliens better than U.S. citizens living in other states and incentivizes even more illegal immigration, all on the taxpayer’s dime. Illinois citizens deserve better,” Weinhoeft continued.
The lawsuit comes as the Trump administration prepares to take its federal law enforcement crackdowns to the Windy City. Federal immigration officials — which have already made great strides in arresting illegal migrants in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., — are preparing to work with a nearby military base in order to launch operations in Chicago.
The White House has already sparred with Chicago and Illinois officials in the courtroom over sanctuary policies. In July, a federal judge appointed by President Joe Biden tossed out a lawsuit by the administration that sought to end the sanctuary policies in Chicago and the entire state of Illinois. The DOJ currently lists Chicago and Illinois as sanctuary havens for their laws and policies restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
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