Maria has always been the type of person to plan ahead. At only 18, she’s plotted a careful plan to become a mental health professional. The high school senior from South Florida has already racked up credits in community college that she can apply to her bachelor’s degree.
Maria dreams of becoming a forensic psychologist so she can support crime victims and put criminals behind bars. She was recently accepted to Florida International University, her top choice. Her plans could soon have to change. That’s because Florida lawmakers on Thursday voted to no longer offer undocumented students—like Maria—the opportunity to pay Florida-resident tuition fees at public universities or colleges. The benefit—created by a 2014 law that lawmakers have now repealed—has given thousands of undocumented students the opportunity to more affordably pursue a college education.
Without the ability to pay in-state tuition fees, Maria now wonders if that will impact her ability to pursue her degree.
Read more at the Miami Herald.
