While most Texans are already frustrated that the state allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition to Texas colleges, what they don’t know is that the state further subsidizes their tuition to the tune of millions of dollars through TEXAS grants. That could soon end thanks to one North Texas lawmaker.
Since 2011, the State of Texas has spent over $45 million on TEXAS grants for illegal immigrants, according to data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. That money could have gone toward awarding 9,000 Texas citizens each a $5,000 grant to attend college.
It’s that data point that led State Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano) to file SB 141, the TEXAS Grants for Texans Act. If passed, Taylor’s legislation would change eligibility requirements for Texas education grants so that only legal citizens qualify for them.
“As we prepare for session, high school seniors across Texas are beginning to open their college acceptance letters,” stated Taylor. “This is an exciting time for our next generation of leaders. As our students are evaluating their options, getting bumped from acceptance of a TEXAS Grant by someone without legal status should not weigh on their mind. With limited resources, our priority should focus on those families here legally, not rewarding those for breaking our nation’s laws.”
