Florida ends in-state tuition for illegal immigrants

A red state will no longer subsidize college for illegal immigrants.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law last week preventing illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.

“We are ahead of the curve of ending the illegal immigration crisis,” DeSantis told WFLA. “We got to work, we hashed it out, and we’ve got a great product moving forward.” 

DeSantis, a Republican, added he doesn’t think illegal immigrants should be allowed to attend Florida colleges at all. 

“I don’t think you should be admitted to college in Florida if you’re here illegally,” he said, “but to give in-state tuition was just a slap in the face to taxpayers.” 

DeSantis signed the bill during a special legislative session where Florida lawmakers worked on bills to deter illegal immigration.  

Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, used the bill as an example of what can happen when the Republican-controlled Legislature and governor work together. 

“Here is a prime example of how, when we put our heads together and we run towards the same fight, we bring results, and I believe that matters,” he told WFLA. 

Democrats opposed the bill, including Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, D-Miami. 

“It is a widely unfair surprise, you would have to agree to go from like $105 worth of credit hours to $500-$570 depending on whether it’s the university system or the college system,” Pizzo told reporters. 

Pizzo filed an unsuccessful amendment that would have grandfathered in illegal immigrants already receiving in-state tuition at Florida schools. 

“It all comes down to this amendment,” State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, told reporters. “We’ve been talking about what can we do for the Dreamers to maybe cushion the impact a little bit,” he said, referencing undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. 

State Sen. Randy Fine, R-Brevard, who sponsored the bill, acknowledged the concern. However, he said Florida must remove all incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the state. 

“A child who lives in Thomasville should not have to pay more to go to Tallahassee state college than a foreigner who should not be in this country at all,” Fine told reporters. 

Before last week, state law allowed illegal immigrants to seek a waiver to pay in-state tuition rates if they attended high school in the Sunshine State for at least three consecutive years and enrolled in a college within two years of graduating. 

Currently, 23 states offer in-state tuition for illegal immigrants at public colleges and universities. 

Some blue states, including Massachusetts and Minnesota, even have programs that offer free tuition for illegal immigrants.