A proposed bill in Florida could end in-state tuition for undocumented students, potentially affecting thousands of people.
State Sen. Randy Fine of Brevard County introduced SB 90 , which would reverse the 2014 state law that allows undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition if they meet certain criteria.
"DACA was life-changing," said Ivis Greenwall.
Greenwall is one of thousands of DACA recipients in Florida. DACA temporarily protects young immigrants who grew up in the U.S. from deportation.
She came to the U.S. from Honduras in 2006 and graduated from Seminole State College. She is now the Access to Education Director at Hope Community Center.
She said although financially it's still a struggle for many students to afford college, because DACA recipients aren't able to receive federal aid, the 2014 law has made a difference in the lives of so many young immigrants. She believes if Fine's bill passes, it will impact a lot of people.
"It feels like a step backward because many of the students, me included, we grew up in Florida. We graduated from our local high schools. We've been here for many years," Greenwall said.
DACA recipients, along with other undocumented students in Florida, would have to pay out-of-state tuition if Fine's bill becomes law.
"I think that maybe this is the time to say we're going to stop having magnets to give illegal immigrants a reason to come to America," Fine said.
Lawmakers like state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani of Orange County oppose Fine's bill.
"It's important to stress that the in-state tuition is being accessed by people who grew up in Florida, live in Florida, who also pay taxes in Florida, and you cannot ignore that fact," Eskamani said.
As an example of what the difference in tuition would cost, the University of Central Florida's 2024-25 in-state tuition and fees is almost $6,000, while out-of-state tuition is nearly $21,000.