WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement after the federal government filed a lawsuit challenging Texas’ longstanding tuition equity laws for its public colleges and universities:

“In-state tuition policies help students succeed, grow local economies, and strengthen the workforce. That is why Texas has led on tuition equity for over two decades, a policy enacted under the Republican leadership of Governor Rick Perry and repeatedly upheld with bipartisan support. These results reflect a growing consensus across more than two dozen states that have adopted similar laws because affordable college benefits everyone.

“This lawsuit would eliminate states' abilities to have these clearly beneficial tuition policies. It would push higher education further out of reach and roll back decades of progress in expanding opportunity and supporting students who are already part of our communities.

“FWD.us stands with elected officials, business leaders, families, and educators who know investing in all students, regardless of immigration status, is smart and effective policy. The Trump administration should reverse course and support the clear legal and bipartisan consensus behind tuition equity.”

FWD.us Explainer: What to know about the federal government’s attack on in-state tuition