All last year, then-candidate Donald Trump campaigned on a restricting immigration. We’ve seen his administration follow through on that promise. In April, Trump issued an executive order which, among other things, bars undocumented people from receiving federal benefits. 

Like many of Trump’s policies, that’s affecting colleges, too. Today, 18 states have policies in place that provide in-state tuition and some state financial aid or scholarships for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and undocumented students, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. But that number is lower than it was at the start of the year. Many states introduced bills to prevent these students from accessing in-state tuition, which is less expensive than out-of-state tuition, and some have already removed these policies altogether.

As students across the country begin a new academic year, we’re beginning to see the impact of Trump’s immigration crackdown. While some red states have rushed to comply, others are waiting.

It’s important to remember that most students don’t pay the full sticker price — receiving institutional, state, or federal aid that lowers the cost of college. Undocumented students and DACA recipients don’t qualify for federal aid, including the Pell grants that go to families making less than $50,000 a year. For them, these higher tuition rates could be barriers that keep them from going to college.  

A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Higher Education told Chalkbeat Colorado’s Jason Gonzales the executive order “does not provide enough details to truly know what federal actions will be taken,” and local universities have yet to make changes. Gov. Jared Polis told Jason in a statement that Colorado remains committed to ensuring the state remains a destination for all learners.

In Ohio, undocumented students are barred from receiving in-state tuition, but DACA recipients are eligible at some public universities. While some schools in the state openly embrace these students, institutions are reticent to speak out about it, Amy Morona reported for Signal Ohio.

“We’re not going to speculate on specific policy changes,” an Ohio State spokesperson told Amy.

Florida was one of the first this year to take steps to bar undocumented students and DACA recipients from accessing in-state tuition rates. As our partners at the Tampa Bay Times reported, Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press conference after he signed the bill into law that providing undocumented students in-state tuition “is a slap in the face to taxpayers.” It went into effect in July.

In Texas, Jessica Priest has closely followed the rollout of similar changes. The Justice Department successfully sued to overturn a 2001 law in Texas that allowed undocumented students to get in-state tuition at public universities. Jessica and her colleague Eleanor Kilbanoff wrote a helpful explainer about who this affects, what students can do, and the historical background that got us to this point. She’s also dug into the confusion students face due to individual schools’ interpretation of the law. Advocates told her students’ — DACA recipients especially — ability to continue paying in-state tuition rates can hinge on where they attend college, not whether they qualify.

“What we’ve seen is a chaotic, haphazard and inconsistent implementation across the state with grave emotional consequences for students … but more importantly, with dire consequences.”

We’re a nonprofit newsroom that relies on your support.

If dedicated local reporting on higher ed matters to you, donate to Open Campus today.

Elsewhere on Open Campus

From North Carolina: Some North Carolina universities are increasing federal lobbying spending as the Trump administration threatens cuts to crucial higher education funding, Brianna Atkinson reports.

From California: The state poured millions of dollars into increasing the number of women pursuing STEM degrees. Adam Echleman reports the rate of women who attain those degrees has hardly improved, according to an analysis of colleges’ data by the Public Policy Institute of California on behalf of CalMatters.

From Wisconsin: Miranda Dunlap visited Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, which overhauled its course offerings to provide eight-week classes almost exclusively. Administrators and instructors say the intensive pace helps students perform better and prevents them from dropping out when they face hardships outside of school.

We’re a nonprofit newsroom that relies on the support of readers like you. Donate today.

Interested in reaching readers who care about higher education in communities across the country? Get in touch or request our media kit.

Please share. Forward this newsletter to colleagues, family, and friends who might be interested. They can sign up for their own copy here.

Run a newsroom and want to improve your coverage of higher ed? Let’s talk.

Got a story tip or a question? Please send it along.