Tuition Equity Policies for Immigrant Students Continue to Advance at the State Level

Written by Tory Johnson

Attending a four-year public college or university is out of reach for many students without U.S. citizenship. But thanks to a growing number of new state laws—which make certain students eligible for in-state tuition rates—many more college hopefuls may be able to pursue higher education.

There is a notable trend among the many immigration-related bills making their way through state legislatures in 2018 and 2019. More states are trying to ensure that students who reside in-state can access higher education.

It’s important to note that these laws and policies, and the rationale behind them, vary among states. In some states, the policies mean in-state tuition rates apply to all students regardless of immigration status. Others apply only to certain groups of students (like those with DACA), while some states like New York offer both in-state tuition and access to certain forms of state or institutional financial aid to eligible undocumented students.

Arkansas is the latest state to pass such a law. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed House Bill 1684 into law earlier this month, making in-state tuition accessible to certain students. It will apply to DACA recipients, children of people with federally issued I-766 work permits, and immigrants from the Marshall Islands. Students who have lived in Arkansas for at least 3 years and hold an Arkansas high school diploma or GED are eligible.

Leaders across the political spectrum recognize these important benefits. Rep. Dan Douglas, a republican state legislator in Arkansas who sponsored the bill, said:

“[The bill is about] giving these kids that grew up here, that are here legally or they’ve attained legal status through the DACA program, the ability to get in-state tuition… this is their home as much as it’s my grandchildren’s home, because this is where they’ve grown up. But our system doesn’t provide a pathway for them to be able to obtain citizenship.”

It’s also good for the state. Research shows Arkansas’ new law could boost the state’s economy. Estimates project an annual increase of $1.2 million in federal, state, and local taxes and over $3.9 million in spending power held by these graduates.

New York passed legislation that goes further. The Jose Peralta New York State Dream Act allows certain undocumented students to apply for state financial assistance programs. Since 2001, undocumented students in New York have been able to access in-state tuition rates but not state financial aid.

Arkansas and New York are in good company. More than 20 states and the District of Columbia have some degree of tuition equity laws or policies. These policies enable certain or all undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state rates. The other states span the country from Utah to Rhode Island and Kentucky to Hawaii.

Several state universities and university systems provide in-state tuition to undocumented students as well. This includes the University of Maine Board of Trustees, University of Michigan Board of Regents, and two Delaware universities.

Despite the differences, many state leaders and experts agree that tuition equity policies are in the best interest of the state and all of its residents. Prior research shows that states benefit when they ensure that all students can access higher education.

For example, tuition equity policies help reduce drop-out rates in high school and encourage students to stay in the state. They expand the local talent pool, increase income and tax contributions, and provide other economic and social benefits.

These recent state-level developments are an important and encouraging step. All policymakers should continue to support and address the needs of their communities and residents, both now and in the future. 

 

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com

https://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a4139-Tuition-Equity-Policies-for-Immigrant-Students.html

How States Took Action on Immigration in 2018

Written by Tory Johnson

States and localities continue exploring policies and positions on immigration to serve the needs of their communities and, at times, respond to the aggressive immigration agenda touted by the Trump administration.

In the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency, states enacted more laws and resolutions involving immigration than ever before. But was this trend a fluke, or will immigration continue to be a central topic addressed by states and localities? 

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), nearly 300 immigration-related laws and resolutions were passed at the state level in the first half of 2018. The majority dealt with integration and education programs, immigrant and refugee services, and law enforcement. This is a slight decrease from the 328 laws and resolutions enacted during the same period in 2017. 

While overall numbers are down compared to last year, many notable trends remain. States continue to weigh their role in federal immigration enforcement. As of June, at least 25 states had considered 66 proposals generally seeking to either establish or prohibit policies that would limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, often given the misnomer “sanctuary” policies. About 100 such policies were proposed during the same period last year. 

As of June, three states had enacted bills related to “sanctuary” policies: 

• California passed a law generally prohibiting its law enforcement agencies from contracting with the federal government for civil immigration detention purposes.
• Lowa passed a law that, among other things, prevents localities from adopting a policy seeking to limit participation in federal immigration enforcement activities.
• A law enacted in Tennessee bars localities or officials “from adopting or enacting a sanctuary policy.” Under the new law, entities with such a policy are ineligible for certain state-level grants.

States also responded to federal immigration actions through resolutions. Among the 175 resolutions adopted at the state level as of June, several opposed the Trump administration’s policies on immigration. 

For example, when the president implemented the policy separating migrant children from their parents at the border, within a week New Jersey, Vermont, and Puerto Rico adopted resolutions condemning the government’s actions. 

With several state legislatures still in session, it is too early to know with certainty how many state-level immigration laws will pass in 2018. But it is clear that immigration remains an important—and complex—topic for states and localities to explore. 

As we move toward a new year, with many newly elected officials stepping into office, let’s hope leaders engage in meaningful and thoughtful discussions on immigration that reflect the interests of communities and the values of the nation as a whole.

 

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com 

http://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a3957-How-States-Took-Action-on-Immigration.htmlhttp://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a3957-How-States-Took-Action-on-Immigration.html

Immigrants And Refugees Are Among America’s 2017 Nobel Prize Winners

Written by Melissa Cruz. 

The Nobel Prizes, awarded annually in recognition of extraordinary achievement in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace, have once again been won by Americans who came here as immigrants and refugees. Three out of the five Nobel Prize categories included immigrants or refugees.

Immigrants have a history of winning The Nobel Foundation’s numerous awards—33 of 85 American winners have been immigrants since 2000. In the chemistry, medicine, and physics categories respectively, foreign-born Americans have won 38 percent of chemistry and medicine prizes, as well as 40 percent of all physics prizes awarded in the last 17 years. 

This year, scientists and researchers have been awarded prizes in physics, chemistry, and peace: 

• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded, in part, to German-born Joachim Frank. The biophysicist developed a method by which water can be frozen rapidly, ensuring that biological molecules in the water don’t form ice crystals and become blurred. This allows Frank to take a more detailed image of molecules. This image can then be used to study the molecules and potentially identify new cures for diseases.
• The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to physicist and MIT professor Rainer Weiss, among other members of his team. Weiss, also originally from Germany, designed an instrument that can detect gravitational waves. By studying these gravitational waves, Weiss is able to detect celestial events such as black hole mergers. Notably, Weiss is also a refugee—he fled from his home as a boy and immigrated to the United States during the Nazi’s rise to power.
• The Nobel Prize in Peace was awarded to Alexander Glaser and Zia Mian, among the other members of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Glaser and Mian, both researchers at Princeton University and born in Germany and Pakistan respectively, work to “outlaw and eliminate all nuclear weapons” under international law through their work with ICAN. Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, remarked that the award represented “encouragement” to nuclear powers to continue negotiations around their use of weapons.

As with the winners from previous years, these immigrants and refugee have shared their talents, innovation, and energy with the nation. These Nobel Prize winners show that the United States must remain a welcoming place because our country would be losing out on a great deal if it shuts itself off to the foreign-born.

Photo by Adam Baker

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com 
http://inmigracionyvisas.com/a3723-Immigrants-and-refugees-who-won-the-Nobel-Prize.html