The watchdog group Judicial Watch is petitioning the Supreme Court to review the use of funds by independent state agencies. The group is filing a lawsuit on behalf of a resident of California to end in-state tuition grants for illegal aliens from the University of California. According to the group, roughly 27 million dollars in California taxpayer money is going to fund tuitions for illegal alien or non-resident students.
Judicial Watch president, Tom Fitton says, “the Board of Regents isn’t the state legislature. They can’t authorize illegal benefits like the state tuition.”
He says, though controversial, it’s legal for the state to issue certain in- state tuition benefits to illegal aliens, but it’s not legal of independent agencies like the Regent to do so. He and Judicial Watch are petitioning the Supreme Court to review the policies to “send a signal to various jurisdictions or localities trying to run their own immigration policies.”
He blames the policies for not only being unlawful but also setting a precedent that encourages illegal immigration. He calls it a “kind of state- wide sanctuary policy.” He adds, “If you know you’re an illegal alien and you get into California you’re going to get in-state tuition benefits from the Board of Regents, the University of California. You’re going to be encouraged to stay and live there.”