From Fox News: Illegal immigrants will no longer receive in-state tuition at Kentucky’s public colleges after a federal judge ruled the policy violated U.S. law and permanently blocked its enforcement.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, hands a win to the Trump administration and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman after they challenged the policy as giving benefits to those in the country illegally that federal law does not allow.
The decision forces Kentucky’s higher education system to end the discounted rates after a months-long legal fight.
The lawsuit argued the policy violated federal law, which states that, “an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a state for any post-secondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit … without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident.”
The ruling was handed down on Tuesday, March 31. Judge Van Tatenhove was nominated by President George W. Bush in December 2005.
Coleman celebrated the significant victory in Kentucky, writing, “Big news! Illegal immigrants will NO LONGER be given in-state tuition at Kentucky public universities. @AGPamBondi and @TheJusticeDept came to Kentucky to uphold federal law and fundamental fairness for American citizens. I’m grateful for their focus on helping our students!”
As Kentucky’s chief law officer, I wrote a letter to state education officials about their unlawful policy.
This outcome is clear – federal law cannot not be ignored. https://t.co/8gJRJAb1yX
— Attorney General Russell Coleman (@kyoag) March 31, 2026
Pam Bondi, who was still Attorney General at that time, also wrote, “Our attorneys @TheJusticeDept just secured a crucial win for America-first policies: Kentucky can no longer give in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens. Americans will NOT be treated like second-class citizens in their own country.
“President Trump made it clear via executive order: illegal aliens should not obtain taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. This DOJ is carrying that out via litigation across the country.”
Our attorneys @TheJusticeDept just secured a crucial win for America-first policies: Kentucky can no longer give in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens. Americans will NOT be treated like second-class citizens in their own country.
President Trump made it clear via…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 31, 2026
“We teamed up with President Trump and @TheJusticeDept to protect Kentucky students. Federal law is clear: illegal immigrants don’t get preferential treatment at our public universities, and taxpayers certainly shouldn’t be footing the bill,” Coleman added on Thursday.
We teamed up with President Trump and @TheJusticeDept to protect Kentucky students.
Federal law is clear: illegal immigrants don’t get preferential treatment at our public universities, and taxpayers certainly shouldn’t be footing the bill.
via @FoxNewshttps://t.co/RWcp3yNzx7— Attorney General Russell Coleman (@kyoag) April 2, 2026
READ MORE from Fox News.
This comes just one day after Biden-appointed United States District Judge Katherine Menendez actually dismissed the Trump administration’s challenge to a similar law in Minnesota, which allows in-state tuition for illegal alien students, if they have attended a Minnesota high school for three years.
BREAKING: Katherine Menendez, a Biden-appointed judge, just DISMISSED a DOJ lawsuit against Minnesota and ruled that public universities can continue offering scholarships and in-state tuition to illegal aliens.
Another activist judge putting foreign invaders before Americans.… pic.twitter.com/FFdmsEaJwm
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 30, 2026
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