On Tuesday, Texas state representatives sent a letter to each state university warning them of the consequences of ignoring the court injunction that prevents the education systems from awarding in-state tuition to illegal aliens. Rep. Mike Olcott, along with 29 other state representatives, led the charge.
In the letter, the representatives explain that, in addition to resident tuition rates, the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) can no longer be used to grant financial aid to illegal aliens. TASFA was designed specifically to offer financial aid to individuals who are not eligible for federal student aid due to their unlawful presence in the United States, but the program violates federal law by awarding financial aid based on residency that is not offered to out-of-state U.S. citizens. Universities can still offer merit-based and need-based awards to illegal aliens, but the representatives warned universities not to exploit these loopholes to continue to offer discounted tuition to illegal aliens en masse.
The letter calls for state universities to immediately stop any residency-based tuition or aid programs benefiting illegal aliens and to provide written confirmation that their institutions comply with federal law. It also calls for an accounting of how many illegal aliens are currently enrolled in their institutions and what tuition rates they are receiving.
The letter warns that failure to comply with federal law or any attempt to circumvent it could expose their institutions or themselves to liability. Texans for Strong Borders supports these lawmakers and is glad to see the state enforce federal law.