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Will Undocumented Immigrants Have to Pay Higher Tuition at California Colleges?
Photo by velkr0 via Flickr
Today the state Supreme Court is expected to reach a decision "whether undocumented immigrants may continue to receive in-state tuition rates at the state's colleges and universities or be required to pay the higher rates charged to students from other states," according to LA Now.
Tuition rates in California are based on in-state residency; here tuition is lower for those who have attended a California high school for at least three years, and graduate, regardless of legal status. Currently there are about 25,000 Californian college students who are paying in-state tuition, though they are not documented immigrants.
The challenge to the practice was brought by a group who are against undocumented immigration, and are acting "on behalf of U.S. citizens who pay the higher tuition as out-of-state students." Ultimately, the practice is expected to be discussed in the U.S. Supreme Court to determine if the lower tuition rate is against federal law.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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