House committee passes bill to ease immigrants' access to college - Washington Update

Black Issues in Higher Education, Dec 4, 2003 by Ben Hammer

The Senate Judiciary Committee in October passed the DREAM Act on a 16-3 vote, pushing forward a bill that would make it easier for undocumented immigrants to attend U.S. colleges.

About 50,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from U.S. high schools each year, and federal law prevents state institutions from granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. This leaves the cast of college prohibitively high for many immigrants who want to advance their education.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Richard Durbin, D-III., introduced the DREAM Act at the end of August, a companion bill to the Student Adjustment Act introduced by Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah.

The bills make it easier for undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition and also extend legal permanent residency status to high-school graduates who serve two years in the military or attend two years of college.

The DREAM act applies to children who immigrated to the United States prior to the age of 16, who have lived in the country for at least five years and who are accepted by an institution of higher learning or upon graduation from high school.

Opponents of the bill, however, claim it rewards those who break the law at the expense of American citizens.