Parents are sounding the alarm about a law signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) that extends student financial aid eligibility to illegal immigrants.
Michelle Cunney, an Illinois mother and local Parents’ Rights in Education chapter leader, called the new law a “nightmare” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“To be honest, it’s terrifying that not only are we having to pay for this, as you know, tax-paying citizens … But also, as parents, not knowing how it will really truly end up affecting our children and their education,” Cunney told the outlet.
The bill claims to ensure that there is “equitable eligibility for financial aid and benefits” for everyone living in Illinois, whether they are legal citizens or not. The bill also includes transgender people in its provisions, and reads, “a student who is an Illinois resident and who is not otherwise eligible for federal financial aid, including, but not limited to, a transgender student who is disqualified for failure to register for selective service or a noncitizen student who has not obtained lawful permanent residence, shall be eligible for financial aid and benefits.”
Cunney said the law is another example of Democrats in the state putting American students and parents last and accused Pritzker of neglecting Illinois in service of his presidential aspirations. She also said public schools have already begun catering to children of illegal immigrants and alleged that testing standards have shifted to favor non-citizen students, per the report.
“Honestly, most of the parents are not okay with this,” she said. “They do not support him.”
Suzanne Gallagher, national executive director of Parents’ Rights In Education, told the outlet that these kinds of policies are galvanizing parents around the country.
“Governor Pritzker, he’s turned his back on parents, pouring more money into college for illegal aliens, while the K-12 system crumbles,” Gallagher said. “These parents are putting two and two together and they’re saying, ‘Wait a minute, what are you even talking about that? What about our kids?’”
Pritzker’s office did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment by time of publication.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
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