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CHAIRS OF HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE RELEASE STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LAWSUIT OPPOSING CONNECTICUT TUITION POLICIES

August 12, 2026

Today, State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) and State Representative Gregg Haddad (D-Mansfield), Senate and House Chairs of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, released the following statement in response to the Department of Justice filing a lawsuit against Connecticut, opposing the state’s guidelines on in-state tuition where all eligible students can qualify:

“As co-chairs of the Higher Education Committee, we stand with Connecticut students and families and strive to make our colleges and universities as accessible and affordable as possible. The Trump administration’s attack on dreamers, undocumented students, is misguided, cruel and will only make it more difficult for our state to meet workforce demands and power our economy.

To be eligible for in-state tuition, students must be a resident of Connecticut and have graduated from a Connecticut high school after at least two years of enrollment. An undocumented student must sign an affidavit stating their intent to become a legal resident. Statistics show these students are likely to stay in Connecticut to build a career and start a family. They also pay taxes, including sales, property and income taxes, contrary to what some claim.

Denying them in-state tuition will make it more difficult, perhaps even impossible, for them to attend school. That’s why including them as residents who deserve in-state tuition became state law 15 years ago.

Additionally, as roughly 40% of Connecticut students leave the state for educational opportunities and pursue their careers and lives elsewhere, we face the issue of ‘brain drain.’ The last thing our state needs is for qualified, hardworking students in good standing to be restricted from opportunities that will bolster their skills and knowledge to enter the workforce and benefit our state.

In short, these dreamers are working hard and striving for a good life that will benefit their families and Connecticut’s economy. They have the same dreams that all children do.

Trump’s attacks on higher education are not new. In the last 18 months, his administration eliminated a critical graduate student program, unilaterally canceled tens of millions of research funding to UConn and made it more difficult for international students to attend our schools. We have fought back. Connecticut launched its own loan program, backfilled research dollars and stood up to Trump’s reckless xenophobia.

We applaud Attorney General Tong’s opposition to the Trump lawsuit and will continue our work in the next legislative session to make higher education more affordable for all our students.”