Minnesotas Democratic majority in the Legislature recently passed a bill to make illegal immigrants eligible for free college tuition.
The bill, known as the North Star Promise, has been approved by Governor Tim Walz as part of a larger education spending package. According to Axios, the program would allow illegal immigrants to enroll in a two or four-year program within the University of Minnesota or Minnesota State systems if they come from a household with an income of $80,000 or less.
We want to make sure that when were expanding opportunities for everybody, were doing it for all Minnesotans, regardless of background, regardless of their documentation status, said Democratic state Senate Higher Education Chair Omar Fateh.
Minnesotas new program comes as Title 42, a Trump-era policy used during the pandemic to expel illegal immigrants quickly, has expired. California has a similar program, but a report by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) found that more than half of Californias undocumented students in postsecondary education do not fill out a California Dream Act Application (CADAA), which is used to determine financial aid eligibility and administer state aid for undocumented students.
The CSAC report suggests solutions such as ensuring that undocumented students are eligible for state safety net programs, creating a state-funded grant to offset the financial burden undocumented students absorb, and accommodating student needs without replicating barriers that exist at the federal level.
In Minnesota, the program is estimated to cost about $117 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1, including startup costs. After that, it would cost about $49.5 million annually, according to the agreement reached Monday night.
The program has received criticism from some who argue that it rewards illegal behavior and removes resources from legal residents. However, supporters of the program say that it expands opportunities for all Minnesotans, regardless of their documentation status.
Login