What DACA's End Could Mean for Colleges - The Atlantic - 0 views
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College leaders say they have myriad reasons to oppose a prospective repeal of DACA. Undocumented students, they argue, often bring unique viewpoints and backgrounds to campus, excel academically, and contribute to the economy after graduating. But recent developments have also raised questions about the financial impact such students have on the campuses themselves. What, if anything, would DACA’s rollback mean for tuition revenue and enrollment numbers at colleges across the country?
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The loss of work permits could also mean that DACA beneficiaries who plan on attending college would be all the more reliant on financial aid, which can be hard to come by. DACA recipients, like all undocumented students, do not have access to federal financial support for higher education, but depending on where they live they may be eligible for other forms of publicly funded aid. Twenty-one states currently offer undocumented students who meet certain criteria the ability to pay in-state tuition, and at least six offer financial-aid benefits to undocumented students of all statuses who meet particular qualifications.
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“with DACA, more colleges and universities have felt more comfortable providing aid and resources. If they no longer have DACA, what will be the level of commitment? remains a really big question.”
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Higher-education leaders at many private universities have been reminding their students of these options; in a letter to the Harvard community after Trump’s announcement on ending the program, for example, President Drew Faust wrote that “the University will maintain its existing financial aid policies, which provide funding to students without reference to immigration status.”
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The consensus among scholars is that community colleges would witness the most conspicuous change if DACA is indeed repealed. It is estimated that the majority of undocumented college students attend community colleges, and many if not most of them rely on their work permits to pay for tuition.