WASHINGTON — Eleven schools and educational organizations Tuesday celebrated the National Institution Coming Out Day to support undocumented students in Texas while the state considers repealing its immigrant in-state tuition law.
“We want to publicly affirm our support for the undocumented students who are a part of our campus,” said Meghan Merchant, program coordinator of the International Office at the University of Texas at Austin, one of the participants.
The day was launched by United We Dream, a nonprofit that describes itself as the nation’s largest immigrant youth-led organization. Seventy-two schools and organizations took part.
All of the participating groups hosted special events and made commitments to assist undocumented students. The steps include helping students gain access to financial aid and scholarships, helping them navigate the system, and building “undocumented-student-friendly” campuses.
“The goal is to challenge the narrative of what it means for schools to be inclusive and diverse and serve all of its students,” said Laura Bohórquez, coordinator of Educational Empowerment Program at United We Dream. “The community can expect to see a public list of schools unafraid of their support for undocumented immigrants, the history and values that our community brings. ”
The “Coming Out” day had particular significance in Texas where the state legislature is considering taking away in-state tuition from undocumented students.
“While these institutions have challenges in lobbying for a specific bill in our legislature,” said Diana Morales, president of University Leadership Initiative, an affiliate of United We Dream in Texas, “they are vocal in their support for undocumented students…”
As the first state to offer in-state tuition to undocumented students in 2001, Texas is now debating whether to roll back the law.
“It’s time to end the 14-year-old policy of providing an increasing pot of state grant money and in-state tuition benefits for those unlawfully present in this country,” Senator Donna Campbell wrote on her Facebook page Monday. “Passing Senate Bill 1819 will ensure that we are not rewarding illegal immigration in perpetuity, but instead fostering a legal immigration system where following the law – not breaking it – is honored.”
Not surprisingly, Campbell’s legislation to abolish the immigrant in-state tuition law worried undocumented students across the state.
“I honestly felt horrible,” said Mizraim Belman, an 11th grade student at Austin Crockett High School, in an email exchange. “I am not sure on where I would go to college but if in-state tuition would be repealed I know that more than ever my final decision would be based on my ability to pay for college. If the repeal were to happen, it would put on hold my dreams of pursuing a higher education.”
Members of University Leadership Initiative (the left three) Monday joined more than 170 other people to testify against a bill that might repeal the in-state tuition law for undocumented students. (University Leadership Initiative)
Meghan Merchant said, “Qualifying for the resident tuition rate has opened the door to higher education for many undocumented students. Tuition is a real obstacle to many students to obtaining a college degree, undocumented or not.”
According to Diana Morales, members of University Leadership Initiative were at a legislative hearing Monday called by the Veteran Affairs and Military Installation subcommittee on border security in the Texas Capitol. More than 170 people testified against the bill. Only three witnesses favored it, according to the hearing report released on the Texas Legislature Online website.
“We use the institutions that have come out in support of undocumented students to highlight our tuition equity battle in Texas when we testify and lobby our representatives and senators,” Morales said. “We will continue to fight to make sure that a student’s dream is not crushed because of their immigration status.”