From the US: Second key part of California DREAM Act still awaits passage
Poster by Favianna Rodriguez
California’s recent passage of the California DREAM Act makes it the eleventh state in America to pass similar immigrant education assistance programs. This law extends in-state tuition fees for public higher education institutions to cover undocumented immigrant students. It also gives private educational institutions legal cover if they decide to offer non-state funded scholarships to students without immigration authorization. There is another portion of the California Dream Act that has yet to reach Governor Jerry Brown. This proposed legislation seeks to make parts of state-funded scholarships available for undocumented students. The scholarships will be offered only after students who are citizens and permanent residents had their needs answered. Also, the scholarships will also operate within the constraints of whether there are remaining scholarship funds available.
Although the California Dream Act’s detractors say that this law “rewards” illegal immigration, supporters point to the fact that the state measure does in no way affect the undocumented immigration status of the students concerned. In fact, it has no mechanism for easing the path to legal status for even the most talented and deserving undocumented immigrant student.
Other states that have passed similar in-state tuition parity laws for undocumented immigrant students are: Maryland, New Mexico,Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, and New York. However, these states have faced some criticism because, unlike California, there were no parts of their DREAM Acts offering undocumented immigrant students state-funded scholarships.
Some critics claim that the rapid passage of DREAM Acts in many of the eleven states reflects more the bonanza of getting more students for cash-strapped educational institutions than any other motive.