Restoring 'Dreamers' eligibility for in-state tuition is the smart – and right – thing to do

Proposition 308 would make a segment of undocumented immigrants, some of them called “Dreamers,” eligible for in-state tuition, scholarships and other education-related assistance.

But let’s be clear: The measure isn’t about immigration reform, nor is it about public assistance for non-citizens. Or a carve-out on benefits for a special class of individuals.

At its core, Proposition 308 is about doing right by a group of Arizonans with higher aspirations.

No one wins in keeping 'Dreamers' from college

In 2006, at the height of anti-immigrant fervor, the Arizona Legislature referred to the ballot a series of propositions directed at undocumented immigrants. It included Proposition 300, which prohibited undocumented immigrants and those without legal residential status from receiving in-state tuition and any post-secondary financial assistance.

Despite the fact that they were ill-conceived, the measures all passed.

In 2021 the Legislature, sensing the injustice of Proposition 300 and understanding that public sentiment toward “Dreamers” had shifted, referred Proposition 308 to this year’s ballot to give voters the opportunity to repeal most of the punitive, hurtful law.

We strongly urge a “yes” vote on the measure.

Polling:Two-thirds of Arizona voters would give 'Dreamers' in-state tuition

“Dreamers” were brought illegally to the United States at a young age. They were raised here, attended school here, learned the language and assimilated to the culture. They are, by any measure, American and Arizonan.

Nothing is served by denying them the opportunity to attend Arizona’s public universities at in-state tuition or to receive scholarships and other education assistance for which they otherwise wholly qualify.

As John Graham, CEO of the development giant Sunbelt Holdings and a supporter of Proposition 308, notes: “They’re great kids. They’re our neighbors and our friends.”

Higher tuition shuts out deserving students

Graham and other Arizona business and community leaders have seen some of these bright and deserving young people – an estimated 2,000 “Dreamers” graduate from Arizona high schools each year – fall through the cracks through no fault of their own.

People like Hazel Villatoro, who wrote on our pages earlier this month about her decision to attend Grand Canyon University instead of following her older siblings’ footsteps to attend ASU. This despite having graduated a year early from North High School with a 3.8 GPA, and cobbled strong extracurricular activities, including participating in an initiative to increase civic engagement among high school students.

She couldn’t qualify for in-state tuition as her brother and sister had because they were born in Arizona, whereas she was born in Mexico, where her mother had gone to help with a family emergency. The elder Villatoro brought Hazel back to Arizona when she was 1.

Tuition is no small matter.

At Arizona State University, for example, tuition and fees for nonresidents top $32,000 a year, nearly three times those of Arizona residents.

Shutting out “Dreamers” from state-offered post-secondary financial assistance ends up hurting all of us.

Proposition 308 is the right thing to do

Those with bachelor’s degrees earn upwards of more than $1 million more over their lifetime than those with only high school degrees. Hundreds of thousands of those dollars go toward taxes. Hundreds of thousands more are pumped into the local economy.

Arizona has lost an untold number of “Dreamers” and an untold amount of talent and revenue since the 2006 initiative.

There’s no reason not to support Proposition 308 on Nov. 8.

It doesn’t take money from the state’s budget.

It doesn’t take scholarships or opportunities from anyone else.

It doesn’t guarantee anything to “Dreamers.”

Proposition 308 merely restores their eligibility for educational assistance that all other qualified Arizonans would receive. It would allow students, regardless of their immigration status, who graduated from an Arizona high school and attended one for at least two years to be eligible for in-state tuition and college financial assistance.

It’s the smart thing to do. It’s also the right thing to do.

Vote “yes” on Proposition 308.

This is an opinion of The Arizona Republic's editorial board.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Proposition 308 does right by 'Dreamers.' You should vote 'yes'