A bill signed into law by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker set to take effect Jan. 1 will make illegal immigrants and some other noncitizens eligible for state-funded scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers if they meet residency requirements.
House Bill 460, signed into law in late August, amends the state's Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act, or RISE, to grant access to state-funded scholarships, grants, and stipends to illegal immigrants who aren't eligible for federal aid.
The Trump administration sued the state in September, arguing that the policy allowing financial aid to those in the United States illegally "treats other residents as 'second-class citizens.'"
"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 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."
The lawsuit is pending.
Illinois Senate Republicans say the law "places undocumented immigrants on the same footing as citizens who work, pay taxes and follow the rules, even as many Illinois students struggle to keep up with the rising cost of higher education."
"With Illinois families already burdened by some of the highest taxes in the nation, they will now be forced to subsidize college aid for individuals who are not citizens," they said in a press release.
"The law also creates a carveout for individuals who refuse to register for Selective Service, including transgender individuals. This provision weakens compliance with federal law, undermines fairness, and raises questions about national defense obligations."
According to state data published by the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, Illinois is home to more than 500,000 immigrants without legal status. Nearly 27,000 are pursuing higher education.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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