Vote Recommendation Opposing Amendment Tillis 2765 to FY 2022 Budget Reconciliation

August 10, 2021

 

U.S. Senate
50 Constitution Ave NE
Washington, D.C. 20515

Re: Vote Recommendation Opposing Amendment Tillis 2765 to FY 2022 Budget Reconciliation

Dear Senator:

The undersigned organizations write to you to urge you to VOTE NO on amendment Tillis 2765 and any other amendment to the FY 2022 concurrent budget resolution that would undermine states’ ability to offer in-state tuition to noncitizens. Under this amendment, the federal government would withhold federal education grants from states that offer in-state tuition for noncitizens, e.g. undocumented immigrant students, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and other Dreamers. 

More than 427,000 undocumented students are enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States, including 181,000 DACA-eligible individuals.  States across the country have recognized the value of ensuring that all students who attend and graduate from their schools can complete their education. States, higher education institutions, and local education officials are in the best position to decide how to provide in-state tuition and financial aid to students. It is essential that states have the discretion to enact policies to facilitate the participation of undocumented students in higher education, particularly around-in state tuition and financial aid. This amendment would take us in the wrong direction — it would undermine states’ ability to benefit from their investment in education and the contributions of immigrant youth. 

Finally, in-state tuition is also essential for DACA recipients to enter and thrive in the workforce, representing a key driver for individuals who want to join the 29,000 DACA recipients working as front-line medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 200,000 DACA recipients working as critical essential workers.

For questions regarding this vote recommendation, please contact Jose Magaña-Salgado at jose@presidentsalliance.org. 

Sincerely, 

National Organizations
Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration (jose@presidentsalliance.org)
United We Dream Network (juliana@unitedwedream.org)
National Immigration Law Center (rodriguez@nilc.org)
American Business Immigration Coalition (jccerda@americanbic.biz)
Center for Law and Social Policy (wcervantes@clasp.org)
Teach For America (jose.gonzalezcamarena@teachforamerica.org)

State and Local Organizations
Aliento Education Fund (jose@alientoaz.org)
Arizona Dream Act Coalition (karina@theadac.org)
Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights (ariel@vacir.org)
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (Raquel@Coloradoimmigrant.org)
New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (atorres@njimmigrantjustice.org)