Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students

A federal judge struck down the Texas Dream Act, ending the policy that allowed undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates at public universities, a move supported by the Trump administration which cited federal law prohibiting such benefits. This decision affects approximately 57,000 undocumented students in Texas, significantly increasing their tuition costs from around $11,000 to over $40,000 annually at major universities such as the University of Texas at Austin. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice and was agreed to by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who called the law unconstitutional. Meanwhile, a separate federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order banning foreign students from entering the U.S. to study at Harvard University, citing potential irreparable harm and extending a restraining order to maintain visa processing for Harvard students. The Trump administration continues to scrutinize Harvard for governance and ideological concerns, but visa issuance remains subject to thorough vetting. In Texas, undocumented students and their families face uncertainty and financial strain as advocacy groups work to clarify the implications of the law’s repeal and explore possible legal challenges.