Overview

• Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the legislation on Aug. 19, making it law in Illinois.
• The statute requires state, local and public‑university aid programs to accept Illinois residents who are ineligible for federal aid, explicitly including noncitizen students.
• Bill language establishes “equitable eligibility for financial aid and benefits” for students regardless of immigration status.
• Sponsor Sen. Celina Villanueva said the change aims to ensure students are not denied support because of where they were born and to remove confusing, conflicting rules.
• Republican critics, including Rep. Mary Miller and the Illinois GOP, denounced the policy as taxpayer‑funded benefits for undocumented immigrants, while fiscal details and implementation guidance were not provided in the coverage.