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Education and Housing

Education

In-State Tuition and Unauthorized Immigrant Students: A 1996 federal law sought to restrict state tuition benefits for unauthorized students. Congress and many states are revisiting the issue. (July 26, 2006)

Tuition and Unauthorized Immigrant Students, by Ann Morse, June 2003. In 1996, the illegal immigration reform law included a provision that prohibited states from "providing a postsecondary education benefit to an alien not lawfully present unless any citizen or national is eligible for such benefit." In 2002, several states considered legislation to allow certain long-term unauthorized immigrant students to become eligible for in-state tuition. California, Texas, Utah, and New York enacted state legislation permitting these students to become eligible if they graduated from state high schools and have three years residence. This brief reviews the federal immigration law, relevant Supreme Court decisions on equal protection and education, select provisions of the 1996 immigration and welfare reform laws, and a summary of pending federal legislation. (6 pages)

Asset Development and Housing

Minnesota's Homeownership Center: Helping Low-Income and Immigrant Populations, by David Lawson, August, 2002. A collaboration of city and state governments, non-profits, banks, and realtors founded the Home Ownership Center to address the gap in homeownership for low-income and immigrant populations. It serves as: 1) the keystone of a network of community organizations that provide home ownership education and counseling and 2) a forum for communication between non-profits, mutual assistance associations, lending and mortgage groups, realtors, and state and local government.

Financial Literacy & Homeownership Education: Building Assets for Minority and Immigrant Communities, by David Lawson, March 2003. This issue brief focuses on homeownership barriers as they affect minorities and immigrants and the use of homeownership education and housing counseling, in particular, financial literacy, to address the homeownership gap.

Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods

 Immigrant Policy Project