For months, we’ve been fighting to defend DACA and to fight for Dream Act to pass in Congress. Our members have been joined in this campaign by Tennesseans from all walks of life who believe that undocumented youth who’ve grown up in Tennessee belong in our communities and are #HereToStay.
That’s why today we filed a bill in the state legislature to grant in-state tuition to undocumented students. Immigrant youth who’ve grown up in Tennessee and graduated from our schools deserve a fair shot to enroll in college, follow their dreams, and contribute to their communities.
Since 2012, the Tuition Opportunity campaign has been led by visionary, courageous, and relentless undocumented youth. They’ve organized their peers, educators, and built a broad coalition of supporters that has included Governor Haslam, Tennessee Farm Bureau, Chambers of Commerce, Tennessee Board of Regents, and the University of Tennessee, among others.
Support amongst Tennessee voters has steadily increased since we launched the campaign. A December 2017 Vanderbilt poll found that 72% of Tennesseans favor granting undocumented students the opportunity to pay in-state tuition, up 6 points from only a year ago. It’s clear our momentum is building.
We believe that we can win this year and that the Class of 2018 will be the first class to graduate with Tuition Opportunity.
But, we know it won’t be easy. Just like you’ve been standing with us and fighting for the Dream Act, we’ll need your help to pass Tuition Opportunity. Stay tuned for calls to action and ways to engage your representatives. In the meantime, we hope you'll consider making a donation to fuel our youth organizing that fuels powerful campaigns for Tuition Opportunity and the Dream Act.