The Texas legislature is currently considering repealing the law that allows Dreamers who have lived in the State of Texas for a certain number of years to pay in-state tuition at Texas universities. While students who are already benefiting from these laws will be “grandfathered” in, students who could benefit in the future will not be able to receive the in-state tuition price if the law is repealed.
Proponents of the current law advocate for it because they argue that without it there would not be a plausible way for many Dreamers to earn college degrees. They stress that undocumented students deserve opportunities to earn college degrees, and also that those Dreamers are often motivated to earn degrees by the prospects of being able to give back to their communities.
Opponents of the current law argue that it encourages illegal immigration to the United States, and that states have an obligation to take care of citizen students first. On Tuesday, April 7, a subcommittee voted to move forward with repealing the law, and efforts toward repeal will now move to a full committee vote.
There are many petitions circulating the internet asking Texas state legislators to rethink this repeal. While the core concern for many of these people is helping students in Texas who might lose the ability to pay in-state tuition, there are additional concerns. For example, if Texas does repeal this law, what will that mean for the other seventeen states that have similar provisions? Will repealing the law in Texas influence other states to do the same?
Read more about the issue here.
We would love to hear your thoughts or stories.
Posted by Haley DiRenzo.