The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Tim Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, challenging a program designed to offer financial aid to undocumented immigrants who want to pursue higher education.
This legal action follows previous efforts where the DOJ successfully halted similar initiatives in Texas, largely through the threat of litigation, and ongoing disputes in Kentucky over the same issues.
Attorney General Pam Bondy expressed a strong sentiment, stating that providing financial benefits to undocumented immigrants effectively discriminates against American citizens. “We intend to take this fight to Minnesota to ensure the rights of U.S. citizens are prioritized,” she emphasized.
The lawsuit highlights that undocumented individuals in Minnesota can benefit from in-state tuition and state financial assistance, a provision stemming from the Minnesota Dream Act established in 2013 during a previous Democratic administration.
According to the DOJ’s allegations, this program treats U.S. citizens unfavorably by enforcing higher tuition rates for them compared to those available to undocumented residents. The statement from the DOJ underscores the significant extent of the discrimination faced by American citizens, noting that in-state tuition rates are generally much lower than those charged to non-resident U.S. citizens.
The Minnesota Department of Higher Education and Attorney General Keith Ellison have been named as defendants in this suit.
In an earlier executive order issued in April, former President Donald Trump directed federal officials to discontinue practices that favored non-citizens over citizens.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Walz was previously a vice presidential contender for the Democratic ticket in the 2024 election but has acknowledged that the nation was perhaps unprepared for the optimistic message he brought forward.
