This summer, Texas ended a 24-year policy that allowed undocumented students who grew up in the state to pay in-state tuition at public colleges. For students like Ximena, an 18-year-old from Houston who dreamed of a PhD in chemistry, the change was devastating. She had earned scholarships and a spot at the University of Texas at Tyler, but when tuition suddenly jumped to over $25,000 a year, her dream collapsed. She withdrew and enrolled at a community college instead, where her chances of pursuing advanced research are far less certain.

The Texas Dream Act of 2001 was originally passed with bipartisan support because lawmakers recognized a basic truth: Texas is stronger when students who graduate from our high schools can afford college and build careers here. For decades, these graduates filled critical jobs, paid taxes, and strengthened our workforce. Ending in-state tuition doesn’t just harm immigrant students — it weakens Texas itself.

Republicans once championed this policy on economic grounds. They understood that investing in education grows the economy and keeps talent in Texas. Now, the reversal is creating confusion for colleges, stripping opportunities from students who have spent most of their lives in our schools, and sending a chilling message to young people who want to contribute to their communities.

Fairness also matters. Out-of-state tuition is meant for students who haven’t built their lives here. But many of the affected students have called Texas home since kindergarten. They are Texans in every sense but paperwork, and their futures shouldn’t be derailed by politics.

We call on Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Legislature, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to restore in-state tuition for all Texas high school graduates, regardless of immigration status. This is not only the compassionate choice — it is the practical one for Texas’s future.

When bright, hardworking students are priced out of college, our entire state loses. Education should be a ladder, not a wall. Let’s restore fairness, protect opportunity, and keep Texas strong.

Add your name to demand Texas restore fair in-state tuition for all its students.