The U.S. Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, filed a civil complaint Tuesday challenging Illinois laws that offer in-state tuition and scholarships to illegal aliens. The DOJ argues these benefits violate federal law and the Constitution by discriminating against U.S. citizens who are denied similar treatment.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, the complaint targets Governor J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Attorney General, and the boards of trustees for state universities. It seeks to block the enforcement of state laws that provide tuition breaks and financial aid to all aliens residing in Illinois—regardless of legal status—while denying the same benefits to out-of-state U.S. citizens.
Attorney General Bondi emphasized the conflict with federal law, stating, “Under federal law, schools cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens.” She noted this action is part of a broader campaign to prevent U.S. students from being treated like second-class citizens and to uphold the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
The DOJ complaint aligns with two executive orders signed by President Trump. The first, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” requires federal agencies to block taxpayer-funded benefits from going to unqualified aliens. The second, “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens,” directs officials to counter state laws that favor illegal aliens over American citizens, including in higher education.
Illinois law mandates that public universities provide in-state tuition to illegal aliens who maintain state residency. The DOJ argues this policy undermines federal immigration laws and gives unlawful advantage to non-citizens at the expense of American taxpayers and students. The lawsuit marks an escalation in the ongoing clash between the Trump administration and Illinois leadership over border policy and state sovereignty.
The case could set a national precedent, especially as other left-leaning states implement similar tuition policies for illegal aliens. The DOJ’s position is clear: federal law must not be undermined by state legislation that grants taxpayer-funded benefits to those unlawfully present in the country.
