Trump sues Illinois over tuition, scholarships for illegal migrants

Federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Illinois state officials for allowing illegal migrants to receive scholarships and in-state tuition rates, according to the Department of Justice. The DOJ alleged that the state’s laws unconstitutionally discriminate against legal U.S. citizens in other states who aren’t offered the same scholarships and tuition rates.

The state’s statutes conflict with preexisting federal law that bars colleges from giving illegal migrants benefits that U.S. citizens aren’t even offered, the DOJ said. Illinois is only the latest lawsuit filed by the Trump administration over American students being treated like second-class citizens, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois Steven D. Weinhoeft described the state’s laws as misguided for affording financial aid to migrants. The state’s policies incentivize illegal immigration by treating migrants better than legal citizens living in another state, the Trump appointed attorney said.

Prosecutors filed the complaint against Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and the boards of trustees for the state’s universities. Tuesday’s lawsuit continued the Trump administration’s push against Pritzker, who has repeatedly spoken out against the president’s threats to send National Guardsmen to Chicago. Trump officials also continue to take issue with the governor’s refusal to comply with immigration officials.

How has the state responded? WORLD reached out to Pritzker’s office for comment and did not receive an immediate response. WORLD reached out to Raoul’s office for comment and did not receive an immediate response.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report on Illinois colleges cutting DEI policies after the Trump administration threatens legal action.