California Supreme Court: Illegal Immigrants Can Have In-State Tuition Costs

College is an enormous expense for almost any student, and for illegal immigrants, who have no access to federal programs like Pell Grants or subsidized student loans, the costs are even more daunting. But now the California Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling that denied illegal immigrants in state tuition costs if the students graduated from local high schools -- a price break available to all other students in the system.

Via the Los Angeles Times:

The California Supreme Court decided unanimously Monday that illegal immigrants may continue to be eligible for in-state tuition at the state's colleges and universities rather than pay the higher rates charged to those who live out of state.

In a ruling written by Justice Ming W. Chin, one of the court's more conservative members, the state high court said a California law that guarantees the lower tuition for students who attend California high schools for three years and graduate does not conflict with a federal prohibition on giving illegal immigrants educational benefits based on residency.

California is one of several states that permit illegal immigrants to take advantage of lower college tuition for students who attend high school and graduate in state. About 25,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to receive in-state tuition in California.

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