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I asked Grok, the AI tool of X whether the above meme is factual as there are myriad false claims made on X, formerly Twitter. I was slightly surprised to discover the statement is true, except for the characterization that illegal aliens are living lavish lifestyles from the tax dollars.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed lawsuits on August 10th this year against New York, along with Connecticut and Vermont, regarding policies and laws that provide in-state tuition rates and related financial scholarships and aid to "illegal aliens" at public colleges.
As Grok explains:
This is part of a broader Trump administration campaign that has now targeted around 17–21 states. The DOJ argues these policies violate federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1623(a)) and the Supremacy Clause because they confer residency-based postsecondary benefits on people not lawfully present while denying the same rates to U.S. citizens from other states.
New York law (including provisions tied to the 2019 Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act) allows qualifying illegal immigrant students who attended a New York high school for a set period, graduated, and applied to college within a certain window to pay in-state rates at SUNY and CUNY campuses and access some state financial aid.
Typical figures cited: roughly $7,070–$7,700 in-state versus $17,730 or more (sometimes much higher, e.g., over $30,000 at some campuses) for out-of-state students. Public colleges receive state taxpayer subsidies, so the discounted rate is a taxpayer-supported benefit.
As Grok explains, "Living lavish off our tax dollars" is rhetorical exaggeration. In-state tuition is a discount relative to out-of-state rates, not free luxury living; the students still pay tuition.
So the legal issue highlighted by the DOJ is the unequal treatment of out-of-state U.S. citizens versus in-state illegal alien residents. New York residents who actually are citizens get the same in-state tuition rate.
There is another caveat: eligibility isn't automatic for all illegal aliens; they must meet specific high school and residential criteria.
The meme shows New York City Mayor and comrade Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Todd Blanche. While Blanche is involved in this issue, Mamdani is not, but probably wishes he was. The photo is only being used to politically frame rather than being a literal scene from the lawsuit.
New York officials have said they are reviewing the suit and expect the state's policies to be upheld. Similar cases in other states have produced mixed court results so far. The meme's wording is partisan and hyperbolic, but the underlying news event it describes happened.
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