Dario Andrade Mendoza graduated from high school and Pima Community College with honors. His interests lie in engineering, so, naturally, the next step was obvious: enrolling in the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering and getting a degree—or several of them.
In May 2014, right after he got an associate’s from PCC, the 20-year-old applied to the UA. He was accepted as an honors student in the engineering college because of his outstanding grades.
There was a problem, though. Andrade Mendoza is a DACA recipient, or DREAMer, so he has to pay out-of-state tuition at the UA, which is, as of now, about $29,000 plus fees per year, and bound to probably get more expensive with this year’s tuition proposals.
“I ended up not enrolling in any class because I cannot afford that,” he says. Andrade Mendoza was among a group of DREAMers and allies who participated in a rally at the UA demanding they get in-state tuition. (The gathering was organized by Scholarships AZ.) “Throughout the four years of high school, my counselor promised me, ‘Hey, you are going to get financial aid, the AIMS scholarship, you are going to get all of these scholarships.’ So I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I am going to go to college.'”
On Monday, May 4, the Arizona Board of Regents is going to discuss making universities cheaper for DREAMers. The proposal is to reduce rates, so that they pay 150 percent of what a resident pays (if approved, DREAMers’ tuition would be about $17,000). While it’s a good start (and students are very grateful for it), it is still not equal, and the fight for tuition equity will continue, even if ABOR approves the 150 percent proposal.
Since the fall of 2013, DREAMers are able to pay in-state rates at Pima Community College. Undocumented students who qualify for DACA get a I-766 work permit—that plus other proof that they have lived in the state for longer than one year allows them that benefit.
In the case of the UA, they have followed the guidelines of Prop 300—a referendum approved by voters in 2006 that says university students who are not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents do not qualify for in-state tuition or financial aid “funded or subsidized by state monies.”
Leaving young, talented students like Andrade Mendoza with their hands tied—paying 300 percent more than Arizona residents—even though more than most DREAMers have lived in the state for longer than the required one year—and without the chance of getting aid.
Among Prop 300’s required documents to prove residency in the state are driver’s licenses, a W-2, an employee ID badge with photo, etc. DACA recipients have been getting driver’s licenses since December 2014, and, ever since President Obama’s DACA program went into effect in 2012, they’ve had work permits, which means a job, which equals paying taxes, which equals a W-2.
“Prop 300, in its writing, it uses the words ‘presence’ and ‘status’ interchangeably, and DACA only grants lawful presence, so the argument is that it is not lawful status (in the country),” he says. Andrade Mendoza was 8 when his family immigrated to the U.S. from Sonora, Mexico in 2003.
“I have paid taxes, this is our home, we have invested in Southern Arizona,” he says. Currently, he works as an engineering tutor at Pima. “We should be able to come to the UA and we have the right to in-state tuition.”
Tomorrow, Matt Matera, executive director of Scholarships AZ, and some of Tucson’s DREAMers are heading to Phoenix for a meeting with ABOR to continue making a case for the 150 percent rate proposal (they hope this will sooner-than-later lead to tuition equity).
From a Scholarships AZ press release: While 150 percent is nice, 100 percent (meaning equal) is fair.
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2015.
Most DREAMers like Dario have lived here ever since they were small children. They are residents in every sense of the word and should pay in-state tuition just as all other residents do.
It makes no sense to deny our residents an education. The education of DREAMers will benefit them, our communities and our economy.
Wow. They’ve sure got that entitlement thing down.
You DESERVE to be deported, you are HERE illegally, you have STOLEN real Americans tax money to put you thru school – and probably taken BENEFITS that real American (read that as Legal Citizens Who Pay Taxes) should be getting.. Yeah, Im Latino.. and YOU are Illegal, Period.
Dave Gallagher “They are residents in every sense of the word…”
No they’re not. They’re families haven’t paid state income taxes, they haven’t paid property taxes and that means they haven’t contributed anything to the education we provided them. What they deserve is a bill for all we have given them. Simply put, they are disrespectful, spoiled and ungrateful. Not what I want for future citizens, not even as ‘residents’.
Hey “Guiseppe,”
So, if you had lived in the U.S. since a young child BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS BROUGHT YOU HERE WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION, would you be OK with getting deported back to your country of birth, without speaking the language or knowing anything else about the place, at age 22 or 23? 30? You’re down with that? I’m sure you’d tackle that problem quiet bravely…
And, what’s negative about wanting to go to college, getting a degree, working and continue paying taxes? BTW, he went to Pima thanks to an amazing organization that raises money to give them grants, so no “real American” tax benefits there or anywhere.
maria_ines_t “so no “real American” tax benefits there or anywhere…”
Who do you think pays for k-12? That’s $100k right there!
You don’t pay state income taxes or own property and pay those taxes, do you?
We have to assume that these people lived in homes somewhere and paid rent, meaning that they do effectively pay property tax indirectly like most people who rent in Arizona. They pay sales tax every time they buy something, just like me and you. Almost all of the studies that are done on income tax rates paid by undocumented workers show that more than half are paying income and social security taxes. The tax argument is tired and doesn’t hold up.
Let’s find a way to allow hard working young men and women to participate in our economy, attain high levels of education, a path to citizenship and eventually help them become a middle to upper income tax payer!
If you are are anti immigrant you are anti american. Period.
Funny how the American people have become so stupid. These Illegal DREAMERS are here because of their illegal parents that took American jobs get paid under the table and receive tax payer supplements like food stamps and rental assistance and send their money back to their country. They broke the law and all should be deported along with anybody that helped them.
Some of the Chuys Restaurants are a great example of cash payment under the table, unreported taxes and jobs for Americans lost.
Now they want us to subsidize their college?
They deserve to pay NON-Resident tuition, as the law and charter states. No one is saying they can’t attend PIMA CC, but if they want to live in America, then they need to abide by the law and rules.
Hopefully this will encourage them to file the necessary paperwork to become Permanent Residents or American Citizens. THAT, is what the DREAMERS should be focusing on. Hey, there’s always the ARMY path to gin citizenship AND get money for college under the GI BILL.
The “they don’t pay taxes” argument no longer holds up, they’ve been living here, paying rent, paying for goods and services, etc. While I can understand that some people here are against allowing them to pay an equal rate to U.S. citizens and residents, providing them such fairness will prove beneficial for their communities in the long term. How? LOYALTY to the country that allowed to have equal opportunities like everyone else. I’d be very grateful. DREAMERS are already here, and have adapted to the educational system in a very successful way (this guy was an honor student in high school and college, come on!)
Why is the Hispanic influx important? The answer is as follows: The Caucasians stopped reproducing. In any society a female must had 2.1 children to keep the society vibrant, alive and continuing. Caucasian society has collapsed with a reproductive rate less than 2.1 children per woman. Without the influx of the Hispanic population America would have withered on the vine. This is a satistical and mathematical truth.
Now as to these Hispanic young people: America need these young people and they should be welcomed. Who is going to pay the bills and taxes? A bunch of old burned out old people in a rest home? I think not.
Any young person who can prove they have been in Arizona since childhood and have never engaged in criminality should pay in state tuition. It’s good for Arizona and good for America.