Campaign Action
Some of Missouri’s undocumented immigrant youth may soon be eligible for in-state tuition rates. State lawmakers hashing out their new budget have reversed a rule that required Missouri’s public universities and colleges to charge Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients the same rate as international students, even if they’d grown up in the state.
The Kansas City Star reports that Missouri’s budget bills need one more vote before heading to the governor for approval, but should they get approved, the state would join a number of other states where some undocumented youth can access in-state tuition. The reversal, one lawmaker said, is necessary because immigrant youth are leaving the state to attend more affordable colleges.
“These kids are as American as anyone else without a piece of paper that says so,” said Democratic state Sen. Jason Holsman. “What they are doing now is going to Kansas or Arkansas or Illinois—they are leaving our state.” However, “the schools will still not be allowed to award scholarships to the students.” DACA recipients nationally are barred from accessing federal financial aid even though they pay taxes, which could still make college inaccessible for many despite having access to in-state tuition.
Still, advocates are celebrating the move as an important step and are urging approval. "It's vital that DACA eligible immigrants have access to education, which ultimately benefits our state," said Andrew Fitzgerald of Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates. "While Missouri has long way to go before it is a state that truly welcomes immigrants, this was a welcome and appreciated move by legislators in Jeff City."
Recently, Arkansas’ Republican-led legislature also passed bills allowing DACA recipients to access in-state tuition rates and nursing licenses. “I would have had to transfer to another state and Arkansas is all I've known,” said one student. “I wanted to stay here and help Arkansans.”