Florida wants to bar undocumented immigrant students from public colleges
WUSF | By Nancy Guan
Published April 23, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT
The state's 28 public colleges, including Pasco Hernando State College, operate with open-door admissions, meaning all applicants with a high school diploma or GED are accepted.
Opponents question whether the Department of Education has the authority to make the rule change. A hearing is scheduled for May 14.
Lea esta historia en español
Students applying to Florida's public colleges will have to show proof they are U.S. citizens or legally in the country if a proposed policy goes through.
The policy will require applicants to "provide clear and convincing documentation that he or she is a citizen of the United States or lawfully present in the United States prior to being granted admission to the institution."
Another part of the rule allows state colleges to “deny admission or enrollment to an applicant because of misconduct if determined to be in the best interest of the Florida College System institution.”
The Department of Education is proposing the change after state lawmakers failed to pass similar restrictions for public universities this past legislative session.
Norín Dollard is the senior policy analyst for the Florida Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. Dollard said without a law, the state could be overstepping.
https://www.wusf.org/education/2026-04-23/florida-bar-undocumented-students-public-colleges
