The Trump administration's Justice Department is swiftly dismantling state laws that grant in-state tuition to undocumented students, starting with successful challenges in Texas and Florida, as Politico reports.

This push reverses bipartisan efforts to provide tuition support to young people brought to the U.S. as children.

It aims to curb incentives for illegal immigration amid falling college enrollments and potential revenue losses for states.

Texas pioneered this approach back in 2001 when Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed a law allowing undocumented youth to pay resident rates, inspiring over 20 other states and the District of Columbia to follow suit.

Bipartisan history examined

For 24 years, Texas upheld this policy, but it unraveled quickly after President Donald Trump's return to office, with the Justice Department filing a lawsuit that led to a joint agreement deeming it unconstitutional.

Attorney General Ken Paxton coordinated with federal officials, and Gov. Greg Abbott announced on X that "in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in Texas has ended," a move that aligns with conservative principles but raises questions about abrupt policy shifts.

While the policy had broad support, including from Republicans, the administration argues it unfairly favors foreigners over U.S. citizens from neighboring states who pay higher out-of-state fees -- a point that hits home for those valuing equal treatment under the law.

Legal challenges spread

The offensive expanded to Kentucky, where Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman urged the state's postsecondary education council to withdraw its regulation, calling it a "losing fight" rather than face litigation.

In Minnesota, similar laws face scrutiny, with roughly 500 students qualifying annually under the state's Dream Act, and a recent bill attempted to block undocumented access to free tuition programs for low-income residents.

Florida repealed its 2014 law in February, effective July, after Rep. Randy Fine introduced legislation arguing that it is "immoral to give in-state tuition to someone who shouldn't even be in America."

Impacts on students, schools unclear

About 408,000 undocumented students make up less than 2% of college enrollees, many protected under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which once enjoyed bipartisan backing but now sees growing Republican opposition.

Education advocates worry that higher costs won't deter migration, as Gaby Pacheco of The Dream.US notes: "Nobody from Guatemala or Mexico starts googling and thinking, 'What state should I move to so that after my child finishes their education, they’ll be able to get in-state tuition to a college?'"

Yet, in a world of limited resources, prioritizing citizens seems a fair counterargument.

In Texas, confusion persists over whether DACA students qualify for exemptions, with some colleges charging out-of-state rates despite intended carveouts, leaving young people in limbo.

Broader ramifications of policy debate

College enrollment dropped 15% from 2010 to 2021, per the National Center for Education Statistics, complicating matters as states risk losing tuition revenue -- estimated at over $461 million annually in Texas and nearly $15 million in Florida.

The administration's April executive order directed crackdowns on benefits for undocumented individuals, deeming these tuition laws illegal, and recent probes target scholarships at state universities such as Louisville and Michigan for alleged discrimination.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear lamented the shift, saying: "This was something that used to not be political. It was the idea that if this is the only country you’ve ever known, that more than likely you will be here your entire life, and we should want you to be educated and productive."

But with borders under strain, investing in homegrown talent first makes pragmatic sense.