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President Donald Trump’s United States Attorney General Pam Bondi is moving to block a controversial Illinois law recently signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker extending student financial aid, including in-state tuition rates and scholarships, to illegal immigrants.
In a Tuesday statement, the Justice Department announced it had filed a complaint in the Southern District of Illinois against the state, Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, also a Democrat, as well as the boards of trustees of Illinois state universities.
The DOJ is seeking to block the state from enacting its laws granting illegal immigrants financial aid, which the DOJ is claiming violates federal law by unconstitutionally discriminating against U.S. citizens.
In its complaint, the DOJ states that “federal law prohibits providing aliens not lawfully present in the United States with any post-secondary education benefit on the basis of residency unless that benefit is also available to United States citizens and nationals regardless of their residency.”
Because of this, the complaint alleges that Illinois’ law is a “blatant and ongoing violation of federal law.”
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In the DOJ statement, U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois commented that “Illinois has an apparent desire to win a ‘race to the bottom’ as the country’s leading sanctuary state.”
Weinhoeft said that Illinois’ “misguided approach mandating in-state tuition, scholarships, and financial aid to illegal aliens plainly violates federal law” and that “this policy treats illegal aliens better than U.S. citizens living in other states and incentivizes even more illegal immigration, all on the taxpayer’s dime.”
“Illinois citizens deserve better,” he said.
Bondi commented that “this Department of Justice has already filed multiple lawsuits to prevent U.S. students from being treated like second-class citizens — Illinois now joins the list of states where we are relentlessly fighting to vindicate federal law.”
In response to the complaint, a spokesperson for Pritzker’s office told Fox News Digital that “this is yet another blatant attempt to strip Illinoisans of resources and opportunities.”
“While the Trump Administration strips away federal resources from all Americans, Illinois provides consistent and inclusive educational pathways for all students – including immigrants and first-generation students – to access support and contribute to our state,” said the spokesperson. “All Illinoisans deserve a fair shot to obtain an education and our programs and policies are consistent with federal laws.”
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In August, Pritzker, who is a rumored 2028 Democratic presidential contender, signed a bill into law opening student financial aid to all Illinois residents, regardless of immigration status, opening a pathway for illegal immigrants residing in the state to receive educational financial benefits.
The bill purports to establish “equitable eligibility for financial aid and benefits” for all students in the state.
The bill reads that “a student who is an Illinois resident and who is not otherwise eligible for federal financial aid, including, but not limited to, a transgender student who is disqualified for failure to register for selective service or a noncitizen student who has not obtained lawful permanent residence, shall be eligible for financial aid and benefits.”
The law has been heavily criticized by parents in the state.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Michelle Cunney, an Illinois mother and local Parents’ Rights in Education chapter leader, called the new law a “nightmare.”
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“To be honest, it’s terrifying that not only are we having to pay for this, as you know, tax-paying citizens … But also, as parents, not knowing how it will really truly end up affecting our children and their education,” explained Cunney.
She said that under Pritzker’s leadership, “we know that the children who are not here legally will get … more of a chance and an opportunity to get scholarships and everything than our children, because to Pritzker, and so many others, we are not important. We are not anything other than money.”
A spokesperson for Raoul’s office told Fox News’ Digital the office is “reviewing the case and don’t have any further comment.”
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