Washington, D.C. – In a coordinated effort to make college less accessible and more expensive for low-income and working students, the Trump Administration and state allies have targeted 17 states over laws that allow students, regardless of immigration status, to qualify for in-state tuition. A total of 21 states, and Washington D.C., offer in-state tuition.
Most recently, the Department of Justice has sued Connecticut, Vermont, New York, Maryland, Colorado, Virginia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Kansas and California for offering in-state tuition, further advancing federal efforts to dismantle higher education, make the lives of working people more expensive, and prevent working students from accessing greater economic mobility. As the administration attacks state policies that help students afford college, they are also encouraging students to compete for a handful of scholarships through its Patriot Games.
In response to the latest efforts to repeal in-state tuition laws across the country, United We Dream issued the following statement:
“Over a year ago, our communities sounded the alarm over the repeal of the Texas Dream Act. We knew then that the end of in-state tuition in Texas would serve as a blueprint to rollback similar laws in other states across the country. Today, those attacks are being realized with now 17 out of 21 states targeted for ensuring all students –no matter their immigration background or socioeconomic status– have the opportunity to afford higher education, secure stable careers, and attain greater financial stability and independence.
Immigrant youth organized for years to win in-state tuition laws in the states we call home. In some states like California, the Dream Act has been in place for over two decades. Now, as college students nationwide struggle to afford college –some working three, sometimes four jobs to pay for classes and others barely able to afford to eat– our communities refuse to stay silent. In states like Florida, immigrant students now face an over 300% spike in tuition rates.
These attacks to end in-state tuition are part of a deliberate effort to keep hardworking students underpaid, buried in debt, and further away from being able to obtain a college degree and access good-paying jobs in the future. The only solution is citizenship. We urge Members of Congress in the House who have yet to sign onto the Dream & Promise Act discharge petition to do so immediately upon returning to D.C. from recess.”