Business, political, and immigration activists launch campaign for Prop 308 – Crown News

WASHINGTON – A broad-based group of political, business, and immigration leaders has come out in support of any 308 Arizona high school graduates, regardless of their nationality.

With about 2,000 undocumented students graduating from Arizona high schools, supporters of the Yes on 308 campaign said it was just a “smart policy” to remove obstacles to their education.

“Some people may disagree, so we want to do the right thing economically. Paul J., President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “These students are making a significant contribution to the success of our region.”

Currently, at least 22 states allow state residents to enroll in undocumented state colleges, but Arizona is not one of them. Residents of the state voted overwhelmingly in 2006, with Proposing 300 approving a margin of 71-29 percent.

That standard is restricted to anyone who does not have legal status in state college education, financial aid, or state-sponsored child care.

Suggestion 308 gives voters a chance to change course this fall. Once approved, anyone who graduated from Arizona High School, after attending at least two years in person, will be eligible for state education regardless of their immigration status.

A.D. 2021 The initiative by state legislators was approved by a small Republican vote. It was sent to the electorate as a motivation, and it was not rejected by the governor.

Starting Wednesday, yes, the 308 coalition included business groups, civic leaders, education groups, and elected officials from both sides.

“Trying and strengthening our workforce is very counter-intuitive, while at the same time creating an obstacle for young Americans who are too anxious to participate in that American dream,” said Mesa Mayor John Gills at the start.

Republican approval of the Gills Proposal 308 “will eliminate the barriers to these children’s dreams.”

The theme was echoed by others at the event, he said, adding that investing in illegal students is a way to invest in the next state.

“They are valuable, they have earned and I think we should all support them and vote on Proposition 308,” said David Adame, president of Chicago Por La Kawsa.

Adame said one in five DACA recipients is pursuing higher education. He boasted that undocumented immigrants had contributed to the economy in the 10 years since the DACA was issued.

“They have donated more than $ 25 million to Medicare and Social Security,” he said in his opening remarks.

While it is not possible to provide state-of-the-art education to dreamers, the Arizona Board of Trustees has given a break to out-of-state students. Residents without legal credentials from Arizona High School currently pay 150% of the state fee at one of the state’s three public universities.

That could still be a downside for illegal students. The arriving Aliento, the DACA advocacy group, estimates that illegal Arizona students pay around $ 16,500 a year for tuition, more than $ 11,000 from other state students.

This means that many students are “forced to pay for higher education, which is not available to many,” says Luna.

“We want to make sure that these students have the opportunity to pay for education in the state,” Luna said.

If approved by voters, Proposition 308 will take effect next spring. Jill says it’s okay to do it.

“They were educated in our schools, they grew up in our church, they played in our children’s small league group and they came back to our community and helped build our state’s economy in countless ways,” he said.