Washington, Aug 29 (IANS) Two Democratic senators have criticised the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to block an Arizona policy that allows eligible Dreamers and other immigrant students to receive lower in-state college tuition rates.
Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona said the lawsuit targeted young immigrants who grew up and attended school in the United States.
“Dreamers are Americans in every way. They grew up here, went to our schools, and are contributing to communities across Arizona,” the senators said in a joint statement on Friday.
“They deserve the opportunity to get an education and build a future in the only country many of them have ever called home,” they said.
The Justice Department filed its complaint against Arizona alongside similar lawsuits targeting tuition policies in New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.
Federal officials argue that the states are providing education benefits to immigrants without legal status that are unavailable to American citizens living outside those states.
“This is a simple matter of federal law: colleges cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to US citizens,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said.
“This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country,” he added.
The department is asking courts to prevent the four states from enforcing laws and regulations that make some immigrants eligible for in-state tuition, scholarships and other financial assistance.
Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. said the latest complaints brought the number of states sued by the administration over such policies to 21.
“Our efforts will not cease until President Trump’s promise is fulfilled: illegal aliens will not receive benefits denied to American citizens,” Woodward said.
Gallego and Kelly said the Arizona policy reflected a decision made by voters and should be respected.
“Making college more expensive for young people who are deeply rooted in America does nothing to fix our broken immigration system or make our country safer,” they said.
“Arizona voters decided to allow these students to pursue an affordable education, and we should respect that decision. We’ll keep fighting for them to continue building their lives and futures in Arizona,” the senators added.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes also said she would defend the voter-approved policy, known as Proposition 308.
“The federal government has now sued 21 states for letting Dreamers who attended school in places like Arizona be able to afford a college education at our state’s community colleges and universities,” Mayes said.
“Fundamentally, this is about state’s rights and I will vigorously defend Arizona’s right to set its own rules, especially ones that are passed by voters themselves,” she added.
Mayes disputes the federal government’s claim that Arizona awards the benefit on the basis of state residence.
Her office said eligibility instead depends on whether a student attended an Arizona high school or home-school equivalent for at least two years and graduated or received an equivalent credential in the state.
The distinction is central to the state’s defence. Federal law limits certain postsecondary education benefits awarded to immigrants without legal status on the basis of state residence unless comparable benefits are available to US citizens regardless of residence.
Arizona maintains that its programme uses educational attendance and graduation criteria rather than residence and therefore does not violate the federal restriction.
–IANS
lkj/rs