Hickenlooper Condemns DOJ Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s In-State Tuition Laws

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after the Department of Justice sued Colorado over its laws allowing eligible undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition and state financial aid.

The lawsuit targets a bill Hickenlooper signed into law as governor, the Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) bill, which allowed eligible undocumented students who graduate from Colorado high schools to pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities in the state.

"Instead of actually working to fix our broken immigration system, the Trump administration is trying to reignite yesterday's culture wars," said Hickenlooper. "These young people, many of whom have never had a home other than Colorado, want an education so they can build their lives."

In March, a federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice's lawsuit challenging a similar tuition law in Minnesota.

Throughout his Senate tenure, Hickenlooper has fought for an immigration system that is humane, just, secure, and worthy of our values. He supports commonsense reforms that expand lawful pathways to citizenship and restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program while Congress works on a permanent solution. He has been outspoken in the face of ICE's lawlessness and has voted against funding for ICE. He's demanded a top-to-bottom overhaul of the agency to stop ICE from terrorizing our communities. He has consistently pushed for more oversight and transparency for federal immigration enforcement efforts, and has worked to help families desperately searching for loved ones arrested by ICE. He's shown up at ICE facilities to conduct congressional oversight visits and raise concerns about ICE disregarding due process.

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