Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker suffered a significant legal defeat Friday after a federal judge struck down key state programs that granted in-state tuition, financial aid, and scholarships to illegal immigrants, handing the Trump administration another major courtroom victory in its effort to eliminate state policies that provide benefits to those in the country illegally.

U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn, who serves in the Southern District of Illinois, ruled in favor of the Justice Department, finding that Illinois’ in-state tuition policies, along with the RISE Act and the Illinois DREAM Act, are “unconstitutional and invalid” as they apply to illegal immigrants.

Although the judge permanently barred Illinois from enforcing the laws, he stayed the ruling for 14 days, giving state officials an opportunity to seek emergency relief from a federal appeals court.

U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft praised the decision, arguing that Illinois had unlawfully favored illegal immigrants over American citizens.

“Illinois sought to incentivize illegal immigration on the taxpayer’s dime by treating illegal aliens better than US citizens living in other states, in clear violation of federal law,” Weinhoeft said in a statement. “This ruling enforces the statute Congress wrote and stops the State from putting illegal aliens ahead of American citizens.”

The ruling marks the latest success for the Trump administration’s nationwide effort to challenge state laws extending higher education benefits to illegal immigrants. It came just one day after the Justice Department filed a similar lawsuit against Colorado over its tuition policies.

The Justice Department originally sued Illinois and several colleges in September 2025, contending that the state violated federal law by offering discounted in-state tuition and financial assistance to illegal immigrants while denying those same benefits to U.S. citizens from other states.

In his ruling, McGlynn granted the federal government’s request for summary judgment and rejected Illinois’ attempt to have the case dismissed.

As a result of the decision, Illinois can no longer enforce its in-state tuition program for illegal immigrants, the RISE Act—which provides state financial aid to certain students who do not qualify for federal assistance—or the Illinois DREAM Act, which created scholarship opportunities for eligible students.

Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) applauded the ruling in a post on X.

“This is a win for Illinois taxpayers and American students who were shut out while Pritzker prioritized foreigners in our country illegally,” Miller wrote.

The Illinois case is one of several similar legal battles brought by the Justice Department. The federal government has already secured victories or settlements in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. As part of its settlement, Nebraska agreed to eliminate in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants.

Additional lawsuits remain pending against Minnesota, Virginia, California, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Colorado.

In its lawsuit against Colorado, filed Thursday, the Justice Department argues that the state’s ASSET Act and related policies unlawfully provide illegal immigrants with reduced tuition rates and state-funded financial aid while denying those same benefits to American citizens who reside outside Colorado.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the federal government intends to continue challenging such laws across the country.

“For three decades, Congress has made clear that Colorado cannot give education benefits to illegal aliens that it does not give to all American citizens,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said. “By granting illegal aliens in-state tuition, Colorado is not only violating federal law but subsidizing education for illegal aliens at taxpayers’ expense.

“Our litigation efforts will not cease until we have fulfilled President Trump’s promise that illegal aliens will not obtain preferential treatment over our nation’s own citizens.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’ administration defended its policies, arguing that states—not Washington—should determine eligibility for in-state tuition.

“The federal government seizing control of determining in-state tuition across the country is absurd,” a Polis spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital. “In Colorado, we are expanding access to education to provide students with the skills to get good-paying jobs and doubling down on strategies to save students money.”

{Matzav.com}