Trump Administration sues Massachusetts and other states over state laws that provide in-state tuition to undocumented students

On August 10, 2026, The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) sued the states of New York, Connecticut, and Vermont for allowing undocumented students to claim in-state tuition benefits. The Trump Administration claims that these laws “unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates or scholarships, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal aliens with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law.” DOJ similarly sued the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on June 29, 2026 for its own in-state tuition benefit law. See our previous post here about similar Trump Administration lawsuits attacking in-state tuition for students with TPS and DACA .

Read the DOJ’s press release on the NY/CT/VT lawsuit here and Boston Globe reporting on the MA lawsuit here.