In a significant legal move, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in collaboration with the Trump Administration, has successfully challenged a Texas law that enabled undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition rates at state colleges and universities. This judgment was confirmed by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, which found the law unconstitutional and thereby issued a permanent injunction to prevent its application.
Attorney General Paxton’s office announced the court decision, describing it as a defeat of an 'unconstitutional and unlawful' legislation. In a joint motion with the U.S. Department of Justice, he argued that the Texas education law was in "direct and express conflict with federal law" by allowing those not lawfully present in the U.S. to benefit from lower tuition rates based on state residency while denying the same benefit to U.S. citizens who aren’t considered Texas residents, according to a statement obtained by the Texas Attorney General's website.
The move has sparked varied responses, with supporters praising the decision as an upholding of the rule of law and detractors viewing it as a step back for educational access. "Today, I entered a joint motion along with the Trump Administration opposing a law that unconstitutionally and unlawfully gave benefits to illegal aliens that were not available to American citizens," Paxton said, as reported by the Texas Attorney General's Office. "Ending this discriminatory and un-American provision is a major victory for Texas."
