Texas In-State Tuition Law Struck Down: What It Could Mean for Oklahoma Students

A landmark Texas law that allowed undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities was abruptly struck down Wednesday by a federal judge, raising concerns that Oklahoma and other states with similar policies could be next.

Known as the 'Texas Dream Act,' the policy had been in place since 2001 and served as a model for more than two dozen states, including Oklahoma. It allowed undocumented students who lived in Texas for at least three years and graduated from a Texas high school to pay the same tuition as legal residents. Supporters say it helped tens of thousands of students access higher education and contributed to the state’s workforce and economy.

But in a swift legal blow, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit calling the policy unconstitutional. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton chose not to defend the law and instead sided with the challenge. Without a court argument or student response, a federal judge ordered the program to be shut down.

Now, immigration advocates in Oklahoma are warning that the ruling could have ripple effects here. Oklahoma is one of several states that allows undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition if they meet certain residency and education requirements. That policy, first enacted in 2003, has allowed thousands of students in Oklahoma to attend college at affordable rates.

'This ruling in Texas opens the door to similar challenges across the country,' said a spokesperson for the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. 'States like Oklahoma need to be prepared to defend their laws and the students they serve.'

The tuition gap is significant. At schools like the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, in-state tuition is roughly half the cost of non-resident rates, potentially placing higher education out of reach for undocumented students if the policy were overturned.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who announced the Texas ruling, warned that the administration may target other states with similar tuition laws. Florida is already moving to repeal its own policy this summer.

'We will continue filing affirmative litigation to remedy unconstitutional state laws that discriminate against American citizens,' Bondi said.

Oklahoma colleges and universities have not yet said whether they will review or change their current tuition eligibility policies, but education advocates say any changes could leave vulnerable students behind.

'This isn’t just about tuition, it’s about access and opportunity,' said Miriam Feldblum of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. 'Students, families, and schools in Oklahoma and beyond should prepare for what may come next.'

For now, the Texas ruling stands as a warning to states like Oklahoma, where the legal and political battle over who gets to afford college may just be heating up.