The latest report from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimates that the recent push to give illegal aliens in-state tuition could cost taxpayers as much as $756 million per year to make up the difference between normal and in-state rates.

FAIR

In 2000, about 126,000 illegal immigrants under 21 were enrolled in college, according to research from the Congressional Research Service. Using 2000 data, we calculated that at non-resident tuition rates, they would be paying between $503 million and $655 million annually. If they were made eligible for in-state tuition discounts, they would be paying less than one-third of that amount, i.e., $155 million to $201 million—leaving taxpayers to make up the difference of $348 million to $454 million.

We estimate that both the number of illegal alien students and the tuition costs will have increased since 2000. In 2004 the estimated outlays would be about $839 million to $1.092 billion, and the discount for in-state tuition would reduce that to about $258 million to $336 million—leaving the taxpayers to make up the difference of $581 million to $756 million.

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In-state tuition provisions for illegal aliens are currently in effect in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Washington and—through "don’t-ask, don’t tell" provisions—in Georgia and Arizona.

Proposed federal legislation to give illegal aliens in-state tuition rates would carry additional substantial costs. According to the Congressional Budget Office, making illegal alien students eligible for federal tuition assistance through Pell grants would have cost $195 million in 2003 and $362 million over the 2003-2006 period.

The report also has a chart of the top 15 states and their portion of the expense. California, which currently has an in-state tuition provision, is ranked first and it costs the taxpayers 222.6 - 289.3 million per year.