Legislators: Approve student financial aid bill

There are about 5,000 “Dreamers” in our state. They are the undocumented immigrant youth who came here as infants or young children, and have known no other home other than Connecticut. Many of these young people were protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in 2012. This allowed them work permits and a sense of stability. They are now in limbo about what their future holds.

Many of them are students at our state colleges and universities. They pay the same tuition as all other students, part of which is set aside to fund need-based “institutional aid” grants. These grants are not funded by any state funds, only tuition paid by all students. However, undocumented students are not eligible to apply for this aid that they, too, have helped to fund.

H.B. 5031, which has already been voted out of the Higher Education Committee with bipartisan support, is backed by officials at all the Connecticut state colleges and universities, and the Board of Regents of Higher Education. It would fix inequality by opening up institutional aid to all Connecticut residents who have attended a state high school and who pay tuition, regardless of immigration status.

I applaud those legislators who have stood up for these hardworking students. Thanks to Sen. Fasano for recently signing on as a co-sponsor of this legislation and to Rep. Kokoruda for her openness in engaging on this topic with me. I ask other legislators in the general assembly to follow their lead and embrace a bipartisan approach to protecting our Connecticut immigrant youth.

May we continue to be a state where all our residents are valued, feel safe, and are allowed to reach their full potential. Please encourage your state reps to vote yes on H.B. 5031.