Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, along with ten other leaders in the immigration, education and conservative movements, sent the below letter to Chairman Terry Wilson of the Texas House Committee on Higher Education this week:

Dear Chairman Wilson and Members of the Committee,

We write to you today to urge the Texas House Committee on Higher Education to take up and recommend for passage legislation to end in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Texas families are already struggling to afford college and make ends meet, and taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize tuition and financial aid for those in our country illegally.

Texas was the first state in the nation to offer in-state tuition to illegal aliens back in 2001, and that policy was expanded in 2005 through Senate Bill 1528, which allowed illegal aliens to access state financial aid programs like the Texas Grant and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA). Today, with over 56,000 illegal aliens enrolled in Texas institutions of higher education¹, the cost to taxpayers has grown significantly. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) found in a 2023 study that in-state tuition subsidies cost Texas taxpayers $459 million annually².

Access to discounted in-state tuition rates is just one of many taxpayer-funded benefits that help drive illegal immigration into our state. And like other public benefits awarded to illegal aliens, it also harms Texans. 

The purpose of our state colleges and universities are to educate Texans and help mold them into the leaders of our future. Subsidizing illegal aliens to take seats in our universities, that could be used by citizens, reduces Texans’ access to a top-flight degree. And since illegal aliens are not allowed under federal law to hold employment in the United States, they will not be able to contribute to our Texas economy in the same way that citizens could.

Last March, 87.63% of Republican Primary Voters supported ending all subsidies and public services, including in-state tuition, for illegal aliens³. Additionally, a September 2024 poll showed that 72% of voters in our state oppose taxpayer subsidies for illegal aliens⁴.

 The 2024 Republican Party of Texas Platform and Legislative Priorities call for:

• “Ending all subsidies and public services, including in-state college tuition and enrollment in public schools, for illegal aliens, except for emergency medical care.” (Platform Plank 232)⁵
• “Ending all taxpayer-funded subsidies and tuition assistance programs for illegal aliens in Texas institutions of higher education.” (Legislative Priority)⁶

Any legislation addressing the repeal of in-state tuition for illegal aliens should also address:

• State financial aid programs like TASFA and the Texas Grant, which provide funding that should be reserved for Texas citizens, not illegal aliens.
• Out-of-state tuition waivers, which allow illegal aliens to receive tuition subsidies while other Americans pay full out-of-state rates
• Data Collection and Reporting Requirements from public colleges and universities on the number of non-citizens enrolled each academic year and their visa status.

Texas should not be using taxpayer dollars to fund benefits that encourage illegal immigration, especially when so many Texas students and families are struggling to afford higher education, property taxes, and other basic living expenses. 

We strongly urge this committee to bring forward legislation that repeals in-state tuition for illegal aliens and recommend swift passage. Texas students and families must come first.

Sincerely,

1. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/texas/ ↩︎
2. https://www.fairus.org/issue/publications-resources/fiscal-burden-illegal-immigration-united-states-taxpayers-2023 ↩︎
3. https://results.texas-election.com ↩︎
4. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25174831-240924-tucm-pac-2024-texas-new-registrants-poll/ ↩︎
5. https://texasgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-RPT-Platform.pdf ↩︎
6. https://texasgop.org/priorities/ ↩︎