Florida Bars Undocumented Students From State Colleges
The rule also extends to GED and English-language programs, and it passed 6-1 as Florida becomes the fourth state with such limits.
- On June 30, 2026, the Florida State Board of Education voted 6-1 to require students at the state's 28 public colleges to be U.S. citizens or "lawfully present," barring undocumented enrollment in public higher education and adult education programs including GED courses.
- Florida becomes the fourth state to impose such restrictions, joining Alabama and South Carolina, while the Supreme Court's Plyler v. Doe ruling guarantees K-12 education regardless of immigration status but does not extend to public colleges or universities.
- An estimated 49,000 undocumented students could be affected, with the change potentially costing the state college system about $15 million annually; Rep. Anna Eskamani argued the policy violates Florida's open-door admission policy.
- Board member Daniel Foganholi cast the sole dissenting vote, telling Newsweek the board should focus on education rather than enforce immigration policy; critics also questioned whether an appointed board can impose such restrictions without Florida Legislature approval.
- The policy takes effect for the 2027-28 school year, while a separate proposal by the Florida Board of Governors could extend similar restrictions to public universities; Sen. Don Gaetz indicated he would support legislation to codify the rule into statute.
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Dems rage after Florida bans illegals from attending state colleges · American Wire News
The state of Florida, under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, leads the nation in responding to the illegal immigration crisis that resulted from the Biden administration allowing 10-15 million foreign nationals to illegally enter the country. The latest example of the state’s response took place this week when the Florida State Board of Education approved a rule banning illegal aliens from admission to the state’s 28 public community and stat…
Florida board votes to ban illegal immigrants from public college admissions – Democratic Accent
Florida’s State Board of Education voted Tuesday to move forward with a policy barring illegal immigrants from being admitted to the state’s public colleges, marking the latest effort by state leaders to tighten immigration rules in higher education. The board voted 6-1 to make the Sunshine State’s 28 state colleges inaccessible to illegal immigrants, as well as the state’s adult education programs. The Orlando Sentinel reported that the only vo…
Florida Bars Undocumented Students From State Colleges
Tallahassee, Florida — Florida’s Board of Education approved new rules barring undocumented students from enrolling in the state’s 28 public colleges and adult education programs, including GED preparation. The rules require Florida College System institutions to verify that students are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country before admission. Local reports say the policy is expected to take effect for the 2027-28 school year, followin…
Immigrant groups respond to undocumented student ban at Florida colleges
Florida immigration groups respond to the Board of Education's rule change to ban state colleges from enrolling undocumented students (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix).Florida’s pro-immigration groups on Thursday blasted a new rule banning undocumented students from state colleges as “cruel” and potentially illegal. On a Zoom meeting, the coalition of legal entities and advocacy organizations called on the DeSantis administration to rec…
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