In what is considered one of the most important
milestones for DREAMers in Arizona and across the nation, the Arizona DREAM Act
Coalition will be celebrating Monday, January the 7th the return of immigrant
youth, DACA grantees, to Maricopa County Community Colleges (MCCCD) with
In-State-Tuition.
This
situation comes as a reversal of bad policy on the immigration-education
landscape of Arizona and it is a sign of hope for the economic future in the
State and the nation, thanks to DACA.
After the passage of prop.300 and
implementation of anti-education, anti-immigrant laws in Arizona, the
enrollment of undocumented immigrant youth, DREAMers, to higher education institutions
collapsed. There was no ban in place
but the cost of education, which tripled by out-of-state fees, was put out of
the reach of immigrant families.
With the
announcement by president Obama on June 15th granting Deferred
Action for persons who arrived as children to the USA (DACA), a door was open
for those who apply for this process, get a work permit, to request
In-State-Tuition at Maricopa Community Colleges.
Maricopa
Community Colleges is the largest Community Colleges System in the nation.
Since 2007, when Arizona’s
Prop 300 took effect and the state began to keep track of undocumented students,
it has come evident the number of undocumented students attending state’s universities and community colleges
has fallen dramatically. Read
this article by journalist Griselda Nevarez. 1,524 students who were attending one of the three
public universities in 2007 were not able
to prove a legal status. The number of students in this situation had dropped
to 13 by the spring 2012 semester.
There were 1,470
students who couldn’t prove a legal status and were attending the state’s
community colleges in spring 2007. By 2012 that number had dropped to 882. Most
of these students were only taking one or two classes at a time.
“In the past years we saw
a collapse participation of immigrant
youth population in community colleges and Universities, in spite of the talent
dreamers had demonstrated when they graduate from high schools, being top of
the class and valedictorians. It is an
absolute waste of human resources and talent”, said Dulce Matuz, president of
the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition. “We are not seeking special treatment; we are
only striving for a leveled plain field.
We are taxpayers too and we support education through our taxes, some of
us for decades”, said Matuz.
To be granted
In-State-Tuition at MCCCD is necessary for the DACA grantees to present the
work authorization card (I-766) and another document that demonstrates their
residence in Maricopa County. This
is the set of documents that may be presented (scroll down to County Residency).
The move from MCCCD granting
In-State-tuitions came, in great part, to the pressure dreamers and advocates
had put to MCCCD when all venues for affordable education were closed during
the spring of 2011. Dreamers had been
able to access classes with in-state-tuition when taking one or two classes due
to a special administrative classification in place for many years back. ADAC members protested MCCCD and held many
private meetings into the reasoning behind closing the last administrative
venue for affordable tuition. Read
this article on the series of protests.
So far in State-Tuition
in Arizona is only attainable at Maricopa County Community Colleges District
(MCCCD). We advocates are encouraging
Arizona Board of Regents and other Community Colleges in Arizona to find legal
tools and grant IST to DACA grantees.
