For Immediate Release: December 2, 2016
Paying out of state tuition because of status is an insurmountable barrier for many who have lived within the United States for many years. Currently, if admitted, undocumented students in most states are charged out-of-state tuition, which is several times the in-state tuition rate. They are not eligible for federal financial aid, and the average income of parents of such children is low. At least twenty states offer in-state tuition to unauthorized immigrant students, 16 by state legislative action and four by state university systems. The cost for states that have passed in-state tuition bills has been negligible. The future of our country relies on the education of our youth and providing in state tuition for students who are applying to universities makes a path towards education a reality.
Solutions:
– Support increased tuition assistance for immigrant women and their families.
– Support enactment of the DREAM Act, to allow undocumented students to qualify for federal financial aid.