In Delaware, the state line beats the border
- DOJ sues University of Delaware over discriminatory tuition pricing
- Out-of-state American citizens charged $42,470 while undocumented students pay $15,740
- Federal law explicitly forbids states from granting residency-based college perks to illegal immigrants without offering the same to all citizens
- University of Delaware accused of blatantly ignoring 1996 federal mandate
Brief Summary
The Department of Justice has officially slapped the University of Delaware with a lawsuit, alleging the institution is operating a two-tiered tuition system that favors illegal immigrants over American citizens from other states. By charging out-of-state citizens nearly triple the price of undocumented residents, the university is accused of violating the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
Why This Matters
This case forces a long-overdue reckoning on whether taxpayer-funded institutions can prioritize non-citizens over the very Americans who fund them. If the DOJ prevails, it sets a massive precedent that could force state universities across the country to end discriminatory pricing schemes. For families scraping together tuition money while watching their tax dollars subsidize lower rates for others, this is a direct challenge to the fairness of the current higher education system.