Florida State Board of Education Votes to Ban Illegal Immigrants from Public College Admissions

The Florida State Board of Education voted on July 2, 2026, to implement a policy that prohibits illegal immigrants from being admitted to the state's public colleges and adult education programs. The decision was made with a 6-1 vote, with the only dissenting vote coming from board member Daniel Foganholi. The board cited Florida statutes that grant them the authority to establish admission criteria. According to the American Immigration Council, approximately 50,000 illegal immigrant students reside in Florida as of 2023. This policy follows the state's previous decision to end a program that allowed certain illegal immigrant students under DACA to pay in-state tuition. Public comments included opposition from individuals such as Alex Liberman and Florida International University student Virginia Bolton, who expressed concerns about the implications of the policy. Florida state Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith argued that the policy violates Florida law and the state constitution, which mandates an open-door admission policy. Governor Ron DeSantis supported the board's decision, stating that illegal immigrants should not occupy spots at state universities that could be filled by Florida residents.