Overview

• The Justice Department filed its complaint in the Southern District of Illinois, naming the state, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the attorney general, and multiple public university boards, and it seeks an injunction blocking enforcement.
• Federal prosecutors cite 8 U.S.C. § 1623(a) and the Supremacy Clause, arguing Illinois grants residency-based tuition discounts and state aid to unlawfully present noncitizens that are not equally available to all U.S. citizens.
• Illinois law currently allows in-state rates and access to scholarships regardless of immigration status, and the challenge targets measures including the Acevedo Bill, the Illinois DREAM Act, the RISE Act, and an expansion set to broaden eligibility in 2026.
• Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft criticized the policies as unlawful preferences, reflecting a broader DOJ campaign following presidential executive orders to curtail state-level benefits for noncitizens.
• The filing follows a DOJ win in Texas and parallel suits in Kentucky, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, and The Hill reports Illinois is the first Democratic-led state targeted, setting up a high-profile legal clash that now moves to federal court.