PRITZKER OPENS ILLINOIS COLLEGE AID TO UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS; PARENTS’ RIGHTS GROUPS ERUPT

Illinois enacted a law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker extending state-administered college financial aid to residents regardless of immigration status, allowing undocumented students access to scholarships and benefits. Parents’ rights activists and conservatives blasted the move as unfair to U.S. students and taxpayers, while supporters say it ensures equitable access and ends patchwork exclusions. The development fits a mid-2025 trend of blue states widening postsecondary benefits for undocumented residents amid growing organized backlash.