Niemerg Opposed Pritzker Expansion of College Aid to Illegal Immigrants

Rep. Adam Niemerg voted against the legislation earlier this Session, that noting federal law withholds student aid from non-citizens, but HB 460 sidesteps those protections by using state dollars instead. Allows taxpayer-funded scholarships, grants, and stipends to now go to illegal immigrants, who are ineligible for federal aid.

Rep. Niemerg points out that HB 460 diverts limited financial resources away from Illinois families and redirects them to individuals who are not in the country legally.

Niemerg adds that HB 460 places undocumented immigrants on the same footing as citizens who live and work according to the law, even as many Illinois students struggle to keep up with the rising cost of higher education. With Illinois families already burdened by some of the highest taxes in the nation, they will now be forced to subsidize college aid for individuals who are not citizens.

The new law also creates a carve-out for individuals who refuse to register for the Selective Service, including transgender individuals. This provision weakens compliance with federal law, undermines fairness, and raises questions about national defense obligations.

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