The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against Virginia to challenge state laws that allow certain undocumented students to qualify for in‑state tuition, asking a federal court to bar enforcement of the policies. The suit, part of a broader federal push challenging similar laws in multiple states, argues the tuition policies unlawfully discriminate against U.S. citizens and lawful residents by excluding nonresident applicants from reduced rates. Virginia’s rules grant in‑state rates to students who graduated from state high schools and whose families filed state income taxes for a prescribed period. The litigation arrives amid a state political transition — Governor‑elect Abigail Spanberger will take office Jan. 17 — leaving the state response and potential legal strategies uncertain. The case has implications for public universities’ budgets, enrollment planning and legal counsel: a court decision could reshape tuition revenue models and spark rapid policy shifts across admissions offices nationwide.