Dec. 14 (KGO) -- A lawsuit was filed Wednesday that aims to change the way the state of California charges out of state students to attend college. It claims that illegal immigrants pay less for a state education than out-of-state citizens. U.C. Davis student Chaning Jang has had it.
The Hawaiian native is tired of paying $20,000 dollars more in out-of-state tuition than undocumented immigrant students pay. Those immigrants pay the same as Californians.
Chaning Jang, UC Davis student: "It's pretty ridiculous how much more we pay, considering they're giving these kinds of tuition kickbacks to illegal immigrants that aren't even going to get to work here after they're done with college."
Jang is one of some 60,000 students represented in a class-action lawsuit filed today. They claim the tuition difference is unfair and even discriminatory.
Kris Kobach, students' attorney: "California taxpayers right now are providing subsidy in excess of $50 million dollars a year to provide for the in-state tuition for illegal aliens."
Three years ago, California was one of the first states that granted in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants, as along as they met residency and graduation requirements.
Jeannette Zanipatin, California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative: "These are students, like I said, who have lived here for three years, have graduated from a high school and but for the tuition would not be able to continue their education."
The lawsuit upset many Latino students throughout U.C., Cal State and community college campuses.
Francisco Tostado is a U.S. citizen, but his three college siblings are not.
Francisco Tostado, college student: "I think it's anti-immigrant. I don't think it's fair for our students who, all they want to do is get a better education and become a better person."
Assm. Ray Haynes, (R) Murrieta: "It's not anti-immigrant. It is saying treat U.S. citizens like you treat illegal aliens."
Jang and his fellow students want the law changed and a refund.
Chaning Jang, UC Davis student: "Hopefully we'll get some of our tuition back because it's really unjust."
