MEDIA ADVISORY 

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2025 

Contact:
Giselle Tervalon, press@txilc.org, Voice: 512-537-2957 

Undermining Texas’s Future: Federal Court Ruling Undermines Texas Dream Act 

Austin – Communities across Texas are speaking out against a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) on June 4, 2025, that sought to overturn Texas’ long-standing policy allowing certain undocumented students to be eligible to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed with the DOJ’s position and filed a joint motion seeking to end the policy. Subsequently, a federal judge ruled that a longstanding bipartisan Texas law is unconstitutional, citing conflicts with federal immigration law. In a stunning turn, this legal maneuvering—from the DOJ’s filing to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s motion to a final ruling—unfolded within just six hours. By day’s end, a federal judge declared the bipartisan Texas Dream Act unconstitutional, citing conflicts with federal immigration law. This turn of events has prompted strong reactions from various advocacy and educational organizations concerned about the future of thousands of Texas students affected by yesterday’s ruling.  “This lawsuit not only misinterprets federal law and usurps the will of our Texas legislatures—it also threatens to upend the futures of thousands of Texas students who arrived to Texas as children,” said Anne Chandler, Executive Director of Texas Immigration Law Council. Texans cannot afford this setback. The economic and workforce consequences of eliminating access to in-state tuition are far-reaching. 

The Texas Immigration Council (TxILC) proudly joined a broad coalition of organizations in signing a letter to Attorney General Paxton urging him to defend the Texas Dream Act. The letter makes clear that the policy is both lawful and essential to the educational and economic well-being of our state. We firmly believe that the Texas Dream Act is more than just policy — it represents the promise we make to Texas children and the priorities we set for the future of our state. The Texas Dream Act has been a successful and enduring policy that strengthens our state. Each year, approximately 18,000 undocumented students graduate from Texas high schools, contributing over $81 million in tuition and fees to public colleges and universities. These students fuel our economy—Texas Dream Act students add an estimated $461.3 million to the state economy annually. Without these graduates, Texas stands to lose $244.4 million in wage earnings and $216.9 million in additional spending power each year. At a time when our state has over 600,000 job openings, removing these students from the higher education pipeline would only deepen workforce shortages and weaken our economic future. 

“The Texas Legislature had a clear opportunity this session to repeal the Texas Dream Act—and they refused. That’s because lawmakers across party lines understand what the Texas Dream Act opponents ignore: this policy is smart, legal, and overwhelmingly beneficial to our state. The Department of Justice’s lawsuit, backed by Texas’s own Attorney General Paxton, fundamentally misreads federal law while dismissing two decades of bipartisan legislative wisdom and proven economic benefits. When all eligible Texas high school graduates have access to apply for in-state tuition rates regardless of their immigration status, we build a more skilled workforce, stronger communities, and a system that rewards merit over circumstance. Texas should be defending this investment in our future, not sabotaging it,” said Krystal Gómez, managing attorney for the Texas Immigration Law Council.  

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The Texas Immigration Law Council is a statewide nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2023 to promote and protect the rights of immigrants and refugees of all nationalities in Texas. The Council promotes meaningful access to justice for immigrants and refugees by serving as a statewide immigrant legal resource center. The Council brings together constituencies across the political spectrum to advance constructive dialogue on immigrant solutions for Texas.