The Department of Justice Reaches a Proposed Consent Decree with Kansas to Enjoin the State from Enforcing its Unconstitutional In-State Tuition and Scholarship Programs for[...]

WASHINGTON - Today, the United States filed a complaintLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. against Kansas and joined with the State in filing a proposed consent decreeLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. to permanently enjoin Kansas laws that provide in-state tuition for illegal aliens.

The proposed consent decree, which must still be approved by the court, would resolve the Department's claims that Kansas's laws unconstitutionally discriminate against American citizens in favor of illegal aliens. Specifically, Kansas's challenged laws grant reduced tuition to illegal aliens over U.S. citizens, which not only violates federal law but also incentivizes illegal immigration and rewards illegal immigrants with scholarship benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for.

"For decades, the Kansas legislature gave preferential treatment to illegal aliens over American citizens," said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. "We encourage all States to follow the commonsense correction of Attorney General Kobach, ceasing any policy that rewards illegal entry into our nation with educational opportunities not available to U.S. citizens."

"Kansas's unconstitutional and un-American laws should never have been passed in the first place and are prohibited by federal law," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "The Department of Justice has won on this exact issue in Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Nebraska, and we will take this fight to any states that fail to put American citizens first."

"This proposed consent decree demonstrates the quality of partnership between Kansas state leaders and the Department of Justice for the shared purpose of ensuring that federal tax dollars are not used to discriminate against Kansas's lawful citizens," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Kriesghauser for the District of Kansas.

The motion came just hours after the Justice Department filed a complaint in the District of Kansas against the state of Kansas seeking to enjoin the state from enforcing laws that require colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates to all aliens who maintain Kansas residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States.

This is the 10th lawsuit in a series of actions the department has filed to fulfill President Trump's commitment to ensure that illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. These efforts have already delivered wins for the American people, as three similar lawsuits in TexasLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., KentuckyLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., OklahomaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., and NebraskaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. have resulted favorable orders permanently enjoining and declaring unconstitutional analogous laws that gave reduced tuition to illegal aliens. Lawsuits against other states that similarly put illegal aliens ahead of U.S. citizens are pending across the country in IllinoisLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., MinnesotaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., VirginiaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., CaliforniaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., and New JerseyLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..