Judicial Watch Challenges New Jersey County College for Offering In-State Tuition to Illegal Aliens
Judicial Watch has announced that it will challenge a policy enacted by the County College of Morris that offers in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens. In a letter sent to the college, Judicial Watch argues illegal aliens are generally ineligible for state and local public benefits such as discounted tuition under federal law.
In response to the letter, the county college has told Judicial Watch it will review it's rule.
According to Judicial Watch:
There is no way to reconcile CCM’s policy with federal law. The policy provides a public benefit to individuals who are clearly ineligible for benefits [under federal law], and New Jersey has not authorized the provision of such benefits…CCM may not ignore federal laws when those laws are not consistent with its own policy preferences. We hope that CCM will reevaluate its new policy and conform it to the requirements of federal law.
The County College of Morris' policy states that any illegal alien who graduates from an American high school (or possesses a GED equivalent), is under the age of 35 and has lived in the U.S. for five consecutive years is eligible for admission. The policy stipulates that illegal alien students may pay a discounted in-county tuition rate.
Under federal law, however, unlawfully present aliens generally are ineligible for state or local public benefits, including postsecondary education benefits such as reduced tuition, unless a state has enacted a law affirmatively providing for such eligibility.
For more information, see Judicial Watch.