photo: The Bad Dream by M.T. HernandezThe past couple of days I have developed a case of blog ambivalence. The DREAM ACT as it stands with no in-state tuition clause is something I cannot endorse. I realize that the U.S. House still has the provision, but considering how things have been going for immigration bills, it seems like people like Senator Sessions will win out -- they will give the military their 65,000 instant recruits, but make it too expensive for the DREAM ACT kids to go to college. As stated before on this blog, only 10 states have in-state tuition for undocumented college students... That means students in 40 states would have to pay international rates. Immigrants may not be as poor as they used to be, but paying private tuition size rates without financial aide (if you are undocumented your chances of getting financial aide are next to impossible) - is unrealistic.
Having been in my 20s during the Vietnam era I am quite aware of the impact it could have on the immigrant community. As long as the U.S. Military is involved in conflict, the immigrant recruits are in danger - you can imagine who would get sent to the battle zone first.
1 comment:
The instate tuition portion of DREAM repeals a ban on allowing individual states to decide whether to offer in state tuition to undocumented immigrants (check S.774 Section 3).
Dream Act kids who will be under the path to legalization will be able to get in state tuition because the government will consider them to be conditional residents (not undocumented immigrants). As conditional residents, they can get in state tuition in the state the Dream Act kid lives in.
Taking out the in state tuition portion in DREAM affects those not legalized by the Dream Act. While that is unfortunate, DREAM will still give 1.3 million people a path to legalization and a chance to go to college or join the military.
That is my take on the situation. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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