DREAMers' Fight for Equal Education Benefits

By: Genesis Monserrate

The fight towards achieving education equality in the States still continues.

Despite 17 states approving undocumented students for in-state tuition, DREAMers have fewer, limited options available to pay for college.

Only four states: California, New Mexico, Texas and Washington have enacted an act allowing undocumented students to be given financial aid.  In addition to in-state tuition rates for some states, financial aid is an uprising issue affecting the Senate thus causing a bipartisan disagreement.

Dean Martin, Arizona State University Treasurer, enacted Proposition 300 which does not allow undocumented students to pay for in-state tuition, let alone receive financial aid from the state.

Martin argues that the issue of illegal immigration is “ a very expensive problem for the state.” He is one of the many individuals who believes that enacting equal education benefits to DREAMers would cost the state millions of dollars.   

Many arguments opposing equal education for undocumented immigrants include granting financial aid to individuals who have broken the law and instead are being rewarded for their action. Also, the increased amount of  illegal immigrants will take away many opportunities given to citizens, and enacting such laws will prompt immigrants to immigrate illegally into the Unites States.

Tim Huff, a staff member at Oklahoma State University, however, is in agreement to allow undocumented students to receive in-state tuition and most importantly, financial aid.  Huff believes that allowing this would be a benefit to society.

“They’re productive members of our society and I think we’ve got an obligation to try and make sure they are educated.You don’t want them to be a drag on society, you want them to be productive,” he said.

Despite only four states allowing undocumented students to receive financial aid, organizations and donors have stepped up to raise money for undocumented students.

As stated in Politico.com, former Washington Post CEO Don Graham has created a $25 million college scholarship fund specifically for undocumented students called the TheDream.US. This fund will be awarding 1,000 full-tuition scholarships starting next year for temporary residents living under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.  

This scholarship will be covering approximately 240,000 college students in the United States.

There has been scholarship portals opened to undocumented students such as the Golden Door Scholars, DreamActvisit.org and other scholarship sites listed on FinAid. University of Washington has even provided students with a scholarship portal.  As this issue slowly progresses towards resolution, DREAMers are not backing down on achieving education equality.

As stated by Senator Gillibrand, “these young people deserve better; they deserve a chance at the American dream – to work hard, get a good education, serve in the military, earn their way to legal status, help grow our economy and keep our country safe.”