Friend, we’ve intervened in a lawsuit to defend the constitutionality of the Texas Dream Act – a landmark law that allows students, regardless of immigration status, to access in-state tuition and financial aid if they complete at least three years and graduate from a Texas high school. Our lawsuit is about protecting access to higher education – and all the opportunities it has unlocked for young people across Texas. It's also a broader fight against attempts to use the courts and sham litigation to circumvent the legislative process. Let us explain. On June 4, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued the State of Texas to stop the Texas Dream Act. Just hours after DOJ filed its lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an agreement siding with the federal government, where both parties agreed to suddenly declare that this twenty-four-year-old state law is unconstitutional. Because Texas abdicated its responsibility to defend its own laws, the court blocked the Texas Dream Act, without hearing any arguments on constitutionality or involvement from those directly impacted. This deal reeks of collusion and is already creating immense uncertainty for students and universities as they prepare for school in the fall. That’s why we’re taking legal action. On behalf of our plaintiffs, we are fighting to challenge this abusive litigation strategy and defend the Texas Dream Act, which has enabled a generation of Texans to grow their careers and become leaders in our communities. Make no mistake: If the Trump administration and state officials can use this judicial process to end a democratically adopted law – one they failed to repeal through the legislative process – there’s nothing to stop them from using similar tactics to attack other policies and civil rights. More to come, – National Immigration Law Center
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