Undocumented students will be able to study thanks to the vote in favor of Proposition 308 in Arizona.
With a hard-fought election result, Proposition 208 was passed with 51% of the votes in favor in Arizona. The proposal consists of a special in-state tuition rate for undocumented students in the state of Arizona.
While Proposition 308 initially had a significant lead, the results became closer as the elections progressed. Fortunately, 61,000 individuals made the difference between both sides to tip the scales towards in-state tuition for the students.
Now, migrants who have attended state high school for at least 2 years will be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of their immigration status.
Jaskot Law will provide you with all the details of this fierce electoral battle, the benefits for immigrants, and much more.
What does Proposition 308 mean for immigrants?
After 16 long years in which the state of Arizona prevented Dreamers from getting state aid, the resounding change in the mindset of voters can only mean something positive. The election means that at least 3,600 undocumented students in Arizona per year will be able to access a state education. In other words, their legal status will not be taken into account when granting them a student registration.
These modifications will be put into effect once the state verifies the election results. It is expected that by the spring semester, dreamers will be able to pay in-state tuition for undocumented students.
The tuition fee to attend a high school or university is set at 150% of the regular tuition costs, which amounts to approximately $6,000 per year. It is important to note that in order to qualify for this new benefit, the individual must have resided in the state of Arizona for at least 2 years. Additionally, Proposition 308 Arizona eliminates a measure that previously prevented Dreamers from accessing state financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants.
“Arizona continues to lead the country in historic shifts in the political tides, and that really marks this moment where, at the federal level, the country is also ready to support our immigrant communities and be able to see legislation in favor of our immigrants. communities,” Alejandra Gomez, director of LUCHA, told the press.
The details of the election campaign: a controversial speech
The results in favor of immigrants were not easily achieved. The opposition was strong, and the anti-immigrant rhetoric was very powerful. But fortunately, the campaign was driven with great determination by the Democrats in support of implementing the new measure.
Over $6 million dollars were invested in the campaign to reach the 4 million voters residing in Arizona. Door-to-door activities were conducted to inform residents about the propositions and promote the new changes. The results showed that these efforts paid off, with a support rate of 81% among Democratic voters, 53% among independent voters, and 27% among Republican voters.
The Republican public was particularly difficult, and so he signed up for their persuasion. The anti-immigrant discourse is very powerful, and has been spreading massively through the U.S. population for years. Along with the campaign for in-state tuition, there was a great deal of opposition propaganda. For this reason, 27% is a major victory in this sector, and is expected to continue to increase.
In addition, it now seeks to pressure U.S. Congressional authorities to implement more permanent protections for dreamers.
This is a small step for Arizona, but a big step for the nation and the migrant community as a whole. From the office of Jaskot Law we celebrate the good news, and offer our legal assistance services for immigrants at +1 (410) 235-6868.
