The Arizona Court of Appeals recently overturned a ruling that allowed young DACA immigrants to pay in-state tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities. In 2015, a judge ruled that DACA recipients were considered legally present in the U.S. and therefore qualified for state benefits.
“I’m so close to the finish line, I waited so long to get to graduation day, and it’s disappointing to see Arizona waste taxpayers’ money on lawsuits that attack DACA recipients who just want to get an education,” said 23-year-old Belen Sisa, who will be a senior at Arizona State University in the fall and currently pays in-state tuition.
Nearly 28,000 DACA recipients live in Arizona, however, in 2006 the majority of the state’s voters approved Proposition 300, which prohibits undocumented students from paying in-state tuition and receiving federal and state financial aid. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, appealed the 2015 ruling and stated that although he understands the Dreamers’ situation, he has to enforce the law.
“I am sympathetic to these young adults who are looking to improve their lives, but as Attorney General my job is to preserve the will of Arizona voters, not make new policy,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
Sisa Belen is one of the many Dreamers fighting back in Arizona, she recently made headlines for posting a picture of herself along with 1040 tax form on Facebook to show that she pays taxes in Arizona, despite having undocumented status. Belen claims that the best way to defy this ruling is to show Arizona that they are not willing to give up on their education.
Recent Comments