The Most Important Provision of Trump’s Sanctuary Executive Order
Ira Mehlman | May 07, 2025
Back in 1996, when there was bipartisan consensus that the interests of American citizens should be protected against illegal immigration, Congress enacted the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which denied many taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal aliens. Importantly, one section in the Act severely restricted the ability of public colleges and universities to grant in-state tuition to illegal aliens.
The intent of Congress could not have been clearer. “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State (or a political subdivision) for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit (in no less an amount, duration, and scope) without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident,” states the law that was signed by President Bill Clinton.
Nevertheless, today, 24 states offer deeply discounted tuition to illegal alien residents. Nineteen of these and the District of Columbia also offer state financial aid to illegal alien residents who cannot afford the in-state tuition rates. None of them offers the same benefits to U.S. citizens who are residents of other states.
https://townhall.com/columnists/iramehlman/2025/05/07/the-most-important-provision-of-trumps-sanctuary-executive-order-n2656647#google_vignette
