Children of undocumented immigrants who live in Florida will no longer be forced to pay out-of-state tuition rates as the result of a court ruling in an SPLC lawsuit challenging the state’s tuition policy.

“It’s a great day for young people across the state of Florida who simply wanted the opportunity to get an education and, with that, a chance for the American dream,” said SPLC Deputy Legal Director Jerri Katzerman. “This policy, which was blatantly unconstitutional, will no longer be a roadblock for young students who may very well be the state’s leaders of tomorrow.”

The SPLC filed a federal class action lawsuit in October 2011 to challenge tuition policies that treat Florida students who are U.S. citizens and residents of Florida as non-residents solely because their parents are undocumented residents.

Those policies clearly violate the U.S. Constitution, wrote U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in an Aug. 31 decision.

As a result of the ruling, students like Wendy Ruiz, Noel Saucedo and countless other promising young American citizens – who have lived in Florida most, if not all, of their lives – will no longer be forced to pay triple the college tuition rates paid by their fellow Florida classmates.