Putting America first shouldn’t mean putting immigrants last. 

For many students who attend college in Florida, higher education may now be unattainable due to the repeal of a President Barack Obama-era bill allowing students who are in the country illegally to pay in-state tuition.

Florida’s 2014 House Bill 851 allowed those students to pay in-state tuition for Florida universities through the use of out-of-state tuition waivers, according to the Higher Immigration Education Portal. This initiative was a way for immigrants to achieve educational and equity opportunities.

Over a decade later and in a state with a government run by hysterically anti-immigration legislators, this bill was shamefully repealed.

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Florida students who are in the country illegally contribute to the workplace and economy of the state. So, they should be given the same opportunities.

A person who qualifies for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is anyone who came over to the U.S. as a child and meets specific criteria to receive deferred action from deportation, said Steven Culbreath, an immigration attorney who is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.  

In 2023, there were 40,000 students who were “undocumented or DACA-eligible” enrolled in Florida universities, according to the American Immigration Council (AIC). The AIC is a non-profit organization that aims to influence immigration policy through advocacy and research.

Our education policies should be based on fairness. We should uplift anyone seeking higher education, not discourage them based on their immigration status. 

This overturning will make or break the affordability of higher education for many students who are in the country illegally.The result could impact immigrant families and Florida universities, which already face declining enrollment rates.

“The elimination of fee waivers could indirectly place additional financial pressure on [those] who are already navigating complex legal and educational landscapes,” Culbreath said.

At USF, in-state tuition for 2024-25 undergraduate students per credit hour was approximately $105 for in-state students and $211 for out-of-state students.

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In Donald Trump’s America, it seems the common sentiment is immigrants should have to earn their way here by contributing to society; but now when immigrants attempt to do so, they are forced to pay double the price.

The government should be encouraging people who entered the country illegally to become productive members of society once they arrive here, not punishing them for being born elsewhere.

Like the rest of U.S. college students, these students are also the future leaders of America. They deserve to be treated as such.

For those who depend on these tuition waivers, it can be difficult to find the financial aid needed elsewhere.

Students who are in the country illegally are not eligible for other means of federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants or certain state scholarships like Florida’s Bright Futures Program. 

Immigrants are expected to come here legally, work, learn English and educate themselves. We shouldn’t be making this process any more complicated than it already is.

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Access to in-state tuition was a great way for students who are in the country illegally to gain footing in society, because what better way than through an education? 

“The repeal will essentially block off the pathway for social mobility for immigrant students who, by all intents and purposes, are American as they grew up here and have roots in the community and have paid into the local and state tax bases for many years,” Elizabeth Aranda said, a professor in sociology and Director of the Immigrant Well-Being Research Center at USF. 

Despite harmful claims from Gov. Ron Desantis, who said at a press conference, “giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition was just a slap in the face to taxpayers,” immigrants do pay taxes.

They are not this financial burden legislators make them out to be.

People who are in the country illegally paid approximately $1.8 billion in tax revenue in 2022, according to the Tax and Economic Policy.

Immigrants pay Florida taxes and prices, but they can’t expect to pay the same tuition prices for college.

“While these policy changes introduce new hurdles, we remain optimistic about the resilience of our Dreamer students and the broader community’s commitment to supporting them,” Culbreath said. “Educational institutions will continue to advocate for policies that promote educational access and equity for all students, regardless of their immigration status.”

What happened to being the “land of opportunity?”