{"id":2635505,"date":"2026-07-25T23:19:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T03:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-blocks-illinois-laws-giving-illegal-immigrants-in-state-tuition\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T23:21:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T03:21:19","slug":"judge-blocks-illinois-laws-giving-illegal-immigrants-in-state-tuition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-blocks-illinois-laws-giving-illegal-immigrants-in-state-tuition\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge blocks Illinois laws giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjudge-blocks-illinois-laws-giving-illegal-immigrants-in-state-tuition%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2635505&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge ruled that Illinois&#8217; laws providing in-state tuition and public benefits to illegal immigrants are unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause. This decision comes after the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois, asserting that the state&#8217;s policies favored illegal immigrants over U.S. citizens in violation of federal law. The judge\u2019s ruling permanently prevents Illinois from enforcing the RISE Act and the DREAM Act, which offered financial aid and scholarships to undocumented students. U.S. Attorney Steven weinhoeft welcomed the decision, emphasizing that the law should treat all U.S. citizens equally. Illinois officials argued that their programs are legal and support fair access to education. The DOJ is pursuing similar lawsuits in several other states. The ruling marks a victory for federal efforts to restrict illegal immigration and aligns with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-pledging-to-reopen-schools-joe-biden-endorses-chicago-teachers-unions-illegal-strike-video\/\" title=\"After Pledging to Reopen Schools, Joe Biden Endorses Chicago Teachers Union\u2019s ... Strike (VIDEO)\">executive orders aimed<\/a> at limiting state benefits for undocumented immigrants. Pritzker and other state officials have not yet decided whether to appeal the decision.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge handed a loss to Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jb-pritzker\/\">JB Pritzker<\/a> (D-IL) and an immigration policy win to President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> on Friday after ruling that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illinois\/\">Illinois<\/a> state laws providing in-state tuition and other public benefits to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illegal-immigration\/\">illegal immigrants<\/a> are \u201cunconstitutional and invalid\u201d under the Supremacy Clause.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> filed a lawsuit against Illinois and Pritzker in September 2025, arguing the state violated federal law by providing residency-based tuition and financial aid to illegal immigrants while not offering the same public benefits to all <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-states\/\">U.S. citizens<\/a> who live outside Illinois. U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fox2now.com\/news\/illinois\/judge-blocks-illinois-from-offering-in-state-tuition-to-undocumented-immigrants\/\">ruling permanently prevents Illinois<\/a> from enforcing the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isac.org\/alternative-application\">RISE Act<\/a>, which provides illegal immigrants with state-funded financial aid, and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isac.org\/resources-for-non-us-citizens\/#DREAM\">DREAM Act<\/a>, which established scholarship opportunities for such students.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4663647\/judge-blocks-illinois-laws-illegal-immigrants-in-state-tuition\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Federal judge blocks Illinois laws giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4663636\/trump-administration-mail-in-voting-appeals-court\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Appeals court hands Trump administration mail-in voting setback ahead of midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4663399\/trump-smithsonian-extreme-political-activism\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump orders temporary warnings signs be put in front of Smithsonian after report finds \u2018extreme political activism\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft welcomed the ruling in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdil\/pr\/united-states-attorney-weinhoeft-announces-federal-court-victory-over-unconstitutional\">a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIllinois sought to incentivize illegal immigration on the taxpayer\u2019s dime by treating illegal aliens better than U.S. citizens living in other states, in clear violation of federal law,\u201d the statement said. \u201cThis ruling enforces the statute Congress wrote and stops the State from putting illegal aliens ahead of American citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A spokesperson for Pritzker defended the policies in response to the lawsuit in 2025, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.highereddive.com\/news\/doj-sues-illinois-state-tuition-undocumented-students-lawsuit-bondi-Pritzker\/759138\/\">saying then<\/a> that \u201call Illinoisans deserve a fair shot to obtain an education, and our programs and policies are consistent with federal laws.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department has similar pending lawsuits against California, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/department-justice-sues-colorado-providing-state-tuition-illegal-aliens\">Colorado<\/a>, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.campusreform.org\/article\/kansas-agrees-halt-in-state-tuition-law-illegal-immigrants-doj-settlement\/30291\">Kansas<\/a>, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Virginia. The injunction has been delayed for 14 days to allow Illinois to appeal the case, and state officials have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fox2now.com\/news\/illinois\/judge-blocks-illinois-from-offering-in-state-tuition-to-undocumented-immigrants\/\">not yet publicly decided<\/a> whether to challenge the ruling.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnder [federal law], a state may not grant postsecondary education benefits to illegal aliens on the basis of residence in that state unless it makes the same benefit available to every United States citizen and national, without regard to where they live,\u201d the department\u2019s statement also said. \u201cIllinois chose to give preferential treatment based on residence to people here illegally. It did not extend that same treatment to American citizens who live outside Illinois. That preference is illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preventing illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition benefits at state colleges and universities around the country is referenced in an April 2025 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/04\/protecting-american-communities-from-criminal-aliens\/\">executive order<\/a> titled \u201cProtecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens,\u201d which directed the administration to \u201cstop the enforcement\u201d of \u201cState laws that provide in-State higher education tuition to aliens but not out-of-state American citizens.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4661389\/ice-arrests-trump-top-602k-some-are-skeptical\/\"><strong>ICE ARRESTS UNDER TRUMP TOP 602,000, DHS SAYS, BUT SOME ARE SKEPTICAL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawsuit named Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and officials from various state and community colleges. McGlynn is a Trump-appointed judge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision represents a victory for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> as it continues its crackdown on illegal immigration. Pritzker, meanwhile, has asserted himself as one of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3841784\/dhs-rejects-pritzker-lies-about-ice-operations-in-chicago\/\">administration\u2019s leading opponents<\/a> on immigration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge rules Illinois illegal immigrant benefits unconstitutional<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3238,"featured_media":2635506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-aq5h10ouc-1785033923282-e1785034021377.jpg?1785019594&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32189,6413,3813,56607,36794],"class_list":["post-2635505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-higher-education","tag-illinois","tag-immigration","tag-in-state-tuition","tag-legal-ruling"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-aq5h10ouc-1785033923282-e1785034021377.jpg?1785019594&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3238"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2635505"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2635509,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2635505\/revisions\/2635509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2635506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2635505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2635505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2635505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}