House OKs college aid for immigrants with deferral

March 13, 2013 @ 5:03 pm

SEATTLE (AP) - The Washington House of Representatives has approved a measure giving young immigrants who have no legal status in the country eligibility to state college financial aid.

The House approved the so-called "Washington Dream Act" on a bipartisan 77-20 vote.

The bill makes young immigrants who have qualified for the Obama Administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program eligible for the State Needs Grant. The federal program provides young immigrants who arrived in the United States as children a legal way to live in the country on renewable two-year stays, if they meet certain age and non-criminal history criteria.

Opponents say the bill promises financial aid while the state struggles to give help to current students.

Supporters say the measure gives a better future to immigrants who came here without a choice.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (10)


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  • sweetpea123 wrote...
    Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    February 5, 2013 2:37 pm
    and double grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! And here I struggle to try and put my son through college by working extra hours, scrimping and saving because we can't afford to take on such debt, nor do we want to be obligated to paying off those nasty, expensive college loans, and our son, despite his straight A's and exemplary record only garnered one scholarship (competition and the number of applicants has skyrocketed) and NO grants or other aid and yet, our state, our nation sees fit to continue lauding privilege on foreigners?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    sweetpea123 is correct....this is BS
    February 5, 2013 4:14 pm
    Just like the current post I have two children, graduated with honors....they were BORN in this country, and we could not get any assistance for the University's attended....zippo....guess I should have raised illegals.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Lawmakers in Olympia have introduced a measure that would allow young immigrants eligible for a temporary stay in the country to apply for state college financial aid
    February 5, 2013 3:03 pm
    open that can of worms.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    What's up is down and what's down is up
    February 5, 2013 4:05 pm
    What's right is wrong and what's wrong is right. Democrat politicians grooming their future constituents. This is illegal and they should go to prison for bribery.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 509 wrote...
    I saved $40,000 to pay for my daughters college education.....
    February 5, 2013 4:42 pm
    she ran out of money even working in her junior year. Oh yeah, she met a Mexican national that was on a FULL-RIDE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOLARSHIP...with no legal right to remain in the country. AM I MAD...YOU BET. VOTED FOR NO INCUMBENTS IN THE LAST ELECTION AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO....IT IS TIME FOR A POLITICAL REVOLUTION.
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  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    What a deal!
    February 5, 2013 5:07 pm
    I wonder if kids graduating up in Alaska could come down through Canada and get these loans in the the lower 48?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Oy Vey!..................
    March 1, 2013 11:32 am
    I have one in college now..........another one starting in the Fall 2013........and a third one in Fall 2014

    Each one has a budget of $100,000.00 per child (no help from the ex-wife as she passed away in Oct 2012 with no life insurance).

    I am footing that bill all by myself.....CASH!.....no help from anyone.

    I could pay for a lot of bikini baristas b00bies, or lap dances with that kind of coin.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BARLOW wrote...
    Don't those fiscal morons
    March 1, 2013 11:34 am
    in Olympia know we can't afford this nicey, nice pink fringed crap? My 2 LEGAL children graduated without state aid with me contributing what I could and them working hard. If they can do it so can the Illegals. Illegals are heavy and they ain't my brother.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • beerlover1976 wrote...
    criminal behavior
    March 1, 2013 11:42 am
    our legislators are way off base here, not only do we have to pay for k-12 which is by law we have to fund for our children and apparently the children of anyone who sneaks them into the country. but now our legislators are saying that we need to give them a college education too, while at the same time we can't offer a college education to american children. am I missing something? the excuse of "the children were brought here without their choosing" doesn't work for me. for green cards or for college education. they receive enough taxpayer benefits as is. food stamps, section 8 housing, free public education. things that should be provided to american citizens first. if we have enough money left over after paying for ourselves, let the voters decide. but not until then.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Howdy wrote...
    'but it's fer da childen'
    March 13, 2013 5:21 pm
    these are the same "representatives" that give you the sad eyes and beg for money because there's not enough to pay for ______ (fill in the blank)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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