D.C. has become the latest battleground for the Trump administration’s push to end in-state tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants.
The Justice Department filed a complaint in federal court Thursday seeking to overturn D.C.’s policy offering in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants, calling it unconstitutional and discriminatory against students from other states. The lawsuit said the rule is “blatant unequal treatment favoring illegal aliens over U.S. citizens.” The Justice Department filed four similar complaints Thursday, bringing the total to 25 lawsuits, one in every state that allows in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.
“This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said in a statement Thursday.
The Trump administration had filed 21 similar lawsuits in other states as of Aug. 27 with varying degrees of success. A federal judge ended Kansas’ policy allowing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants Wednesday. Other states such as Oklahoma and Nebraska chose to stop their policies. Minnesota successfully won its case earlier this year, but the Justice Department appealed the decision.
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The Justice Department and University of the District of Columbia did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Mayor’s office referred questions to the D.C. Attorney General, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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