If passed, Senate Bill 1798 would amend the Texas Education Code to reclassify students whose presence in the United States is “not authorized under federal statute” as non-residents. This would cut off access to in-state tuition at public institutions of higher learning for undocumented students who graduate from a Texas high school and may have lived in the state for most of their lives. The bill would also make these students ineligible to receive any state-funded financial aid.
Each year, 18,000 undocumented students graduate from Texas high schools. With access to higher education, these students can contribute in-demand skills to our state’s workforce and become leaders in their chosen fields. However, out-of-state tuition rates in Texas are three times higher than in-state rates, on average. If SB 1798 is passed, then pursuing higher education would become financially impossible for many low-income young people, preventing them from advancing in their careers and achieving long-term financial security.
The Texas Senate is expected to vote on this legislation soon. Please use the tool below to contact your state representative and your state senator today. Ask them to protect the individual futures of tens of thousands of Texas students—and the economic future of our state—by voting NO on SB 1798.
On April 22, CDF-TX Senior Administrator of Policy and Advocacy, Trudy Taylor Smith, testified against SB 1798 before the Senate Committee on Education K-16 in opposition to SB 1798. Click here to watch her testimony.