Illegal immigrant students residing in Minnesota will now be eligible for the newly introduced tuition-free college program, according to government sources cited by Axios.
Those students whose families have an annual income of $80,000 or less are eligible for the “North Star Promise,” which will pay for their education at two- or four-year colleges within the University of Minnesota or the Minnesota State system.
To be eligible, applicants must meet certain residency criteria, including graduating from a high school in Minnesota or residing in the state for at least 12 months without enrolling in college for more than half of that duration. Additionally, students must complete and submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form and maintain satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible for the program.
The move comes as part of the Democrats’ efforts to extend state benefits paid by US taxpayers to noncitizens living in Minnesota. With their legislative majority, Democrats have enacted a series of new laws that provide various state benefits to illegal immigrants.
Among the recently enacted laws is the provision allowing undocumented residents to obtain driver’s licenses, granting them the ability to travel and commute legally within the state. Additionally, these individuals now have access to MinnesotaCare, the publicly run insurance program designed to support low-income residents.
Access to public health insurance will be expanded to more than 40,000 illegal immigrants believed to live in Minnesota and who meet the program’s income standards if the bill, which is expected to become law.
“We want to make sure that when we’re expanding opportunities for everybody, we’re doing it for all Minnesotans, regardless of background, regardless of their documentation status,” Senator Omar Fateh (DFL-Minneapolis) said in a statement to Axios.
https://twitter.com/EmeraldRobinson/status/1665166343962853377
via unsilencednews
