Legal Showdown: Justice Department Targets Virginia's Tuition Equity Law

The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Virginia over a law allowing undocumented immigrants in-state tuition rates at public colleges. The move is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to challenge tuition benefits for non-citizens, claiming state laws conflict with federal immigration laws.

The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated legal proceedings against Virginia, contesting a state law that grants undocumented immigrants access to reduced in-state tuition and financial aid at public colleges. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to question state laws providing tuition benefits to non-citizens.

The contested Virginia law, effective since 2022, allows immigrants who entered the U.S. unlawfully to pay reduced in-state tuition rates, provided they reside in Virginia. Advocates maintain that the 2021 law, signed by former Governor Ralph Northam, Democrat, aims to eliminate financial hurdles for immigrant students seeking higher education, similar to their Virginia-born counterparts.

The Justice Department argues this state measure contradicts federal immigration laws and the U.S. Constitution by extending educational benefits to undocumented immigrants that are unavailable to citizens from other states. The lawsuit references the 1996 federal Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which limits states' ability to offer certain postsecondary education benefits to unauthorized immigrants.

(With inputs from agencies.)