Democrats try again on college aid for NJ DREAMers

TRENTON — New Jersey Democrats, rebuffed by Gov. Christie just days ago, are planning another attempt to extend state financial aid to college students who are in the country illegally.

"It's just the right thing to do. Equality took 10 years," said Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D., Hudson), referring to the "tuition equality" law signed last year that qualified illegal or undocumented immigrants for in-state tuition at public schools.

"I don't want this to take 10 years. I want this to be done now. Now is the time we have to move forward. Our future is our children. Their dreams and hopes should be the same as what my kids were able to get," said Prieto, a primary sponsor of the new bill.

Under an agreement Democratic lawmakers reached with Christie last year, students without lawful immigration status who have been educated in New Jersey are now eligible for in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities.

That "DREAM Act" did not include eligibility for state financial aid, but many activists saw the bill as a first step that would pave the way for future action.

"These kids are spending dollars here. They live here. They actually now get tuition equality," Prieto said at a news conference Wednesday in Trenton. "They should be afforded the rights to make college affordable to them."

The new bill would make students eligible for in-state tuition under that act also eligible for state aid such as the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) and Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) programs.

Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Gary Schaer (D., Passaic) said it didn't make sense for the state to stop funding public education for undocumented students after high school, given that it already has invested money in their education.

"Right now the issue is not only affordability. It is also one of equality, and allowing and providing and encouraging the intellectual growth and development of each and every one of New Jersey's students," he said.

The DREAM Act Christie signed last December provided the following criteria for students to be eligible for in-state tuition:

1. high school attendance in New Jersey for three or more years 2. New Jersey high school diploma or other state equivalent 3. Registration as a student in public college no earlier than the fall 2013-14 semester 4. Affidavit stating that student has filed an application to legalize immigration status or will do so as soon as eligible Democratic lawmakers had promised to continue the fight. Activists said in-state tuition was only a partial victory toward equal status for DREAMers.

The Democratic budget last Thursday included language that would give DREAMers access to state financial aid.

Christie used his line-item veto power Monday to excise that provision.

Prieto recognized that Christie had vetoed the idea just two days prior, but said: "We're trying to do what we believe is the right thing."

Prieto said the bill would not appropriate more funds for college aid but rather "spread out the money a little bit more" by making undocumented students eligible.

He didn't have an estimate for the number of undocumented students who might be eligible for aid, or for how many are currently enrolled in New Jersey's colleges.

If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately, applying to the 2014-15 academic year.

Staff writer Andrew Seidman contributed to this article.