California State University is facing criticism over its reported use of $42 million in public funds to provide free legal services for immigrants, including deportation defense, sparking debate about legality and fairness in public spending.
According to Campus Reform reporter Emily Sturge, the services have been offered to students, their immediate families, faculty, staff, and alumni. She cited university data showing that 21,000 individuals had benefitted from the program as of 2023. “Two years later, I expect it’s been many more people who have benefitted from these services,” Sturge said during an interview with The National News Desk’s Angela Brown.
Sturge also claimed that U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill to defend individuals in the country illegally, while the Department of Justice has raised concerns over the legality of the program. “This is violating federal law by providing state-funded resources and programs for people who are here illegally while not providing resources like that to American citizens,” she argued.
At the same time, the Department of Education is investigating five universities accused of offering scholarships that allegedly exclude U.S. citizens or lawful residents, further intensifying the scrutiny on how public institutions use taxpayer dollars.
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