Mass. Advocates Shift To Immigrant Tuition Bill

Student immigrant advocates in Massachusetts say after the defeat of the federal DREAM Act they are shifting their efforts to state legislation that would allow undocumented students to attend state colleges at in-state tuition rates.

Deivid Ribeiro of the Boston-based Student Immigrant Movement said Friday that advocates will now put their energy on convincing state lawmakers to reconsider a proposal that they have rejected a number of times.

Under the proposal, illegal immigrant students who graduated from a Massachusetts school and can prove state residency would be eligible for in-state tuition rates at Massachusetts schools. They would not be eligible for federal financial aid.

A similar law that has been adopted in at least 10 other states, including Texas, California and New York.