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May 12, 2005

Jeremy Schwab

After more than a year of intense lobbying, the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition won its first victory last week in its quest to give undocumented immigrants the same in-state tuition rates that other Massachusetts residents enjoy at state colleges and universities.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted to endorse the In-State Tuition Bill, sending it to the entire legislative body for a vote, which is expected in the coming weeks.

The bill’s lead House sponsor, Rep. Marie St. Fleur, is optimistic the measure will pass. But she said supporters still must convince skittish legislators to support the bill, particularly after the Massachusetts Republican Party sent out mailings during last year’s elections charging that Democrats had voted to give “tuition breaks” to illegal immigrants by voting for the budget, which contained the in-state tuition measure.

“After what happened this past election cycle, many elected officials, particularly in suburban communities where it was turned into a real divisive issue, were concerned about being supportive of this,” said St. Fleur.

In the end, St. Fleur believes supporters can drum up a two-thirds majority needed to override another threatened gubernatorial veto.

“I think we can do that,” she said. “I don’t think it is going to be easy.”

Last year, Governor Mitt Romney vetoed the budget item that included the in-state tuition change, and Democrats did not attempt to override his veto.

A spokesman for Sen. Jarrett Barrios, the bill’s lead sponsor in the Senate, said he has not yet counted heads and would not guess at whether the bill would pass the Senate or gain a two-thirds majority to override a veto.

Advocates say the bill is necessary to give undocumented immigrants who graduate from Massachusetts high schools the same opportunities for higher education that their classmates enjoy. They point out that the bill does not give undocumented immigrants any special treatment.

“The bill would give hard-working, qualified students the opportunity,” said Barrios spokesman Colin Durant. “Nobody qualifies to go to college if they don’t get in.”

The bill would apply only to undocumented immigrants who have lived in Massachusetts for at least three years, graduated from a Bay State high school and filed an affidavit saying they have begun the process of becoming citizens.

An estimated 400 undocumented immigrants graduate from high school each year in the state, according to MIRA. Currently, those students, many of whose families are of modest means, must pay the out-of-state rate, which can be double what in-state residents pay. This leaves many students without realistic college prospects.

Ali Noorani, executive director of MIRA, said his organization has lobbied state legislators by bringing students who would be affected by the bill and other supporters of the bill to legislators offices, or setting up meetings in legislators’ districts between legislators and their constituents who support the bill.

“The issue has gotten support from educators, labor and business leaders,” said Noorani.

The East Boston Ecumenical Community Council, Centro Presente, the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers and the Irish Immigration Center are among the bill’s active supporters.

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