Mass. advocates shift to immigrant tuition bill

By Russell Contreras
Associated Press
February 11, 2011
BOSTON, MA

Student immigrant advocates in Massachusetts say after the defeat of the federal DREAM Act, they will shift their efforts to state legislation that would allow undocumented students to attend state colleges at in-state tuition rates.

Deivid Ribera (DAY'-vid rah-be-EE'-roh) of the Boston-based Student Immigrant Movement said Friday that advocates will now put their energy on trying to convince state lawmakers to reconsider a proposal that the legislature has rejected a number of times.

Under the proposal, illegal immigrant students who graduated from a Massachusetts school and can prove state residency would be eligible for in-state tuition rates at Massachusetts schools. They would not be eligible for federal financial aid.

A similar law that has been adopted in at least 10 other states, including Texas, California and New York.

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