In a sweeping move to protect taxpayers, the Trump administration’s Department of Education has revoked a 1997 Clinton-era loophole that allowed illegal immigrants to receive federal subsidies for adult, career, and technical education programs. The Education Department announced Thursday that it is rescinding the Clinton administration’s “Dear Colleague” letter that claimed these programs were exempt from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), a law that requires federal benefits to be reserved for citizens and qualified immigrants.

The change aligns with President Trump’s February executive order, Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders, which instructed federal agencies to ensure all programs comply with PRWORA and stop funneling federal dollars to illegal immigrants.

“For the reasons described herein, the Department has concluded that Federal programs administered by the Department that provide postsecondary education and other similar benefits, including adult education and career and technical education programs, are ‘Federal public benefits’ subject to the citizenship and immigration verification requirements of PRWORA,” the department stated in an upcoming Federal Register notice.

The shift also ensures that illegal immigrants remain ineligible for programs under the Higher Education Act, including Pell Grants and federal student loans.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon made it clear the administration’s focus is on prioritizing American citizens and legal immigrants. “Under President Trump’s leadership, hardworking American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for illegal aliens to participate in our career, technical, or adult education programs or activities,” she said, emphasizing that taxpayer funds will now be protected for citizens and legal residents who meet eligibility requirements.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced a similar policy shift the same day, ending a Clinton-era interpretation that allowed illegal immigrants to tap into federal healthcare benefits, further advancing Trump’s “America First” promise to end taxpayer-subsidized open borders.

These moves follow recent crackdowns across multiple agencies as the Trump administration shifts federal resources away from illegal immigrants and toward American families. Advocates argue this will help reduce the strain on public education budgets, ensure program integrity, and encourage legal immigration pathways.

Meanwhile, the decision has sparked predictable outrage among open-border activists and left-wing groups who argue that denying federal subsidies to illegal immigrants is harsh, despite the programs being designed for citizens and legal immigrants under federal law. Supporters of the move argue that allowing illegal immigrants to access these funds diverts limited resources from American students and workers who need them to improve their skills and careers.

The Trump administration’s crackdown is another clear marker that the era of using taxpayer money to subsidize illegal immigration is ending, fulfilling a key campaign promise to put American citizens first while respecting the rule of law.