Friday, March 8, Colorado’s House of Representatives voted to pass Bill 33, or ASSET, which would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition to attend the state’s public universities.
This bill has been a long time coming, finally providing equal opportunity to achieve the American dream for each and every Colorado high school graduate.
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What exactly is the difference between undocumented immigrants and any other Colorado student?
Basically nothing. Income taxes aside, they and their parents pay most of the same taxes other Coloradans do. It’s not necessarily their choice to be in this situation; many of them don’t even realize they’re undocumented until it comes time to apply to universities. Imagine that you were barred entry to CSU based on your immigration status, or that you were expected to pay five times the tuition you anticipated based on a missing piece of paper, even though you’ve lived your entire life identifying as both an American and a Coloradan.
Thanks to ASSET, Colorado students will no longer be arbitrarily denied a more promising future even though they have the grades and dedication to flourish on a university campus and better their community and state. All these students are looking for in seeking a college education is an opportunity to better themselves — and there really is nothing more American than that, regardless of your immigration status.
