A Texas law that in effect compels citizens of the United States to pay a higher college tuition rate than illegal immigrants is unlawful, a district judge ruled last week.
Under current Texas law established in 2001, a student who lives in Texas for three years and graduates from a Texas high school is entitled to in-state tuition rates. Anyone who fails to meet those residency criteria must pay higher out-of-state tuition rates, regardless of whether that person is a U.S. citizen.
In some situations, this tuition scheme makes U.S. citizens from states other than Texas subject pay higher tuition than students who continue to live in the state illegally, according to Young Conservatives of Texas, a student group advocating against in-state tuition rates and financial aid for illegal immigrants.