Justice Department Sues New York, Connecticut, and Vermont Over Tuition

The United States Department of Justice filed lawsuits against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont on August 10, 2026, challenging state laws that grant in-state college tuition rates and financial assistance to undocumented immigrants and refugees. Federal prosecutors argue these policies violate the Constitution's Supremacy Clause and a 1996 federal law by providing benefits to non-citizens that are denied to U.S. citizens from other states who must pay higher out-of-state rates.

In Connecticut, the legal challenge specifically targets statutes from 2011, 2015, and 2018 that extend eligibility to high school graduates and veterans without legal status. The suit seeks to block access to scholarships, the Roberta B. Willis need-based grants, and the state's student loan reimbursement program. This action is part of a broader campaign targeting 17 states. While a judge in Minnesota dismissed a similar suit, other states including Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Illinois have already been barred from providing reduced tuition rates following court rulings or settlements.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong vowed to fight the lawsuit, asserting that students who graduate from state public schools deserve affordable access to higher education. New York Governor Kathy Hochul's administration similarly defended the legality of its statutes. The Justice Department maintains that it will not tolerate American students being treated as second-class citizens in their own country.