http://www.dreamactivist(dot)org/blog/2010/12/24/taking-it-to-states/

[quote]Taking it to the States: DREAM Act Style
December 24, 2010 in News Article by Maria

Last Saturday, the Senate voted against the dreams of thousands of students when it failed to pass the DREAM Act (Oh yeah, we still remember). What these Senators are not aware of is the fact that they did not only vote against the bill, they voted against students who are fighting for a piece of legislation that will affect their lives. And as such, we’re not about to throw in the towel and call it a night. On the contrary, we’re as ready as we’ve ever been to continue the fight toward justice and equality for immigrants and undocumented students. And this time, we’re taking it to the states.

Currently, only ten states allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates if they meet certain requirements, including states with the largest immigrant populations like California, Texas, New York, and Illinois. I don’t know about you, but I think that number is too low. So, while Congress might not be ready to pass the DREAM Act at the national level, we are ready to fight to make the lives of undocumented students a little easier by taking local action. We need to make access to education a viable option for all students: for those just graduating from high school, those who have been forced to put their education aside for financial reasons, and those working 2 or 3 jobs to afford going to school.

In Maryland, State Senator Rich Madaleno will introduce a bill in January that will allow undocumented students in Maryland to be able to afford a college education. The Maryland DREAM Act will allow students, who reside in Maryland and have graduated from a Maryland high school or served in the military, the right to pay in-state tuition to schools in the state. It is morally just for a student who has earned a spot at a university, through their own hard-work, to be charged as any other U.S. citizen student who has earned the same spot.

In the words of Senator Madaleno:

[i]“I was disappointed the U.S. Senate failed to pass the DREAM Act. Without a reformed federal immigration policy, states need to step in and take action. If you live in our community, graduate from our high schools and defend our nation, you deserve the promise of a more affordable higher education.â€