Judge Rules Arizona DREAMers Eligible For In-State College Tuition

By Alexandra Olgin
Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - 5:53pm
Updated: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 - 2:36pm

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that young immigrants who qualify for deferred action are eligible for in-state tuition because they are lawfully present in the U.S. This tuition rate will now apply to immigrants temporarily allowed to stay in the country because of a 2012 Obama administration policy.

The Maricopa County Community College District offered the young immigrants in-state tuition in 2012. Shortly after, the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit arguing the students weren’t in the country legally. And a 2006 voter-approved law says a student has to be lawfully present in the U.S. to qualify for in-state tuition.

Maricopa County College District Chancellor Rufus Glasper said after the lawsuit was filed enrollment dropped by more than 10,000 students.

“We would hope that this gives a clear signal that in an open-access system paying in-state rate and with the judge’s ruling these students would feel welcome and that these students would come back to our classes," he said.

Glasper said the district is planning to reach out to students who are eligible for the in-state rate.

EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to Rio Salado College, one of the Maricopa County Community College District schools.

Updated May 6, 2015 at 2:36 p.m.