ST. PAUL, Minn. (Diya TV) — The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the state of Minnesota, challenging its policy that allows undocumented high school graduates to pay in-state tuition and receive state scholarships.

The U.S. Department of Justice claims the state is violating federal immigration law by offering benefits to students living in the country illegally, benefits that are not equally available to U.S. citizens from other states.

This is the third lawsuit of its kind filed this month. Earlier, the Trump administration sued Kentucky and Texas over similar tuition breaks for undocumented students. In Texas, a judge blocked that policy shortly after the lawsuit was filed.

The Minnesota lawsuit focuses on two state policies. The first allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges. The second, the North Star Promise program, provides scholarships that cover part or all of their tuition.

The Justice Department named Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education as defendants.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement, “No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens.”

The lawsuit cites the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. That law bars states from giving undocumented immigrants postsecondary education benefits unless all U.S. citizens are also eligible.

Minnesota passed its Dream Act in 2013. Under the law, undocumented students can qualify for in-state tuition if they attend a Minnesota high school for at least three years and earn a diploma or GED in the state.

They must also show they’ve applied for legal immigration status, if a federal process exists. Right now, there is no such process available, which the Justice Department highlighted in its complaint.

State officials say the law doesn’t violate federal rules because it treats U.S. citizen students who meet the same conditions equally. Supporters argue that these students are longtime residents who grew up in Minnesota and deserve the same opportunities.

Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, who sponsored the Dream Act, called the lawsuit “spiteful” and said it’s part of a broader attack on immigrant communities.

Ana Pottratz Acosta, a professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, said Minnesota has a solid legal argument. She noted that the state does not base tuition breaks solely on immigration status. Instead, eligibility depends on attending and graduating from a Minnesota high school.

Pottratz Acosta also pointed to a California Supreme Court ruling that upheld a similar law in that state. She added that the Trump administration’s latest legal push appears to be part of a broader crackdown on immigrant-friendly policies.

“Minnesota, for better or worse, is kind of a target,” Pottratz Acosta said. “Both because we’re a blue state and because we have policies that are favorable to residents of the state who are not citizen residents of Minnesota.”

Minnesota has seen other impacts of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. In March, several international students in the state lost their visa status without warning. Around the same time, immigration agents detained three students and placed them in custody.

Many students filed lawsuits in response. Several won their cases and were released from detention. State officials say they plan to fight the current lawsuit as well.

A spokesperson for Minnesota’s attorney general said the office will “vigorously defend” the law. Gov. Walz’s office said it is reviewing the lawsuit and considering its next steps.

While the Justice Department has found early success in Texas, Minnesota’s law differs in key ways. The legal battle could set a precedent as more states come under scrutiny for policies that benefit undocumented students.

According to the National Immigration Law Center, at least 21 states—including some led by Republicans—offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. At least 16 states also allow them to receive financial aid.

The outcome of Minnesota’s case could shape the future of these policies across the country.