Let me tell you about the Texas Dream Act. It passed in 2001. It said: if you graduated from a Texas high school, regardless of your status, you could pay in-state tuition at public colleges .
For students like me—who grew up here, who are Texan in every way except a piece of paper—it was everything. It was the difference between college and no college. Between a future and stuck.
My older sister used it. She's a nurse now. She pays taxes. She helps people. That's what the Dream Act did.
But last year? A federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. Texas's Attorney General—Ken Paxton—chose not to defend it . So now? Nada. Nothing.
About 19,500 students who signed affidavits for in-state tuition in 2023 alone are now in limbo . Some colleges are honoring it for now. Others aren't. It's a patchwork. A mess.
One student, Jorge, wanted to transfer to Texas State for engineering. With in-state tuition, he could afford it working multiple jobs. Without it? His costs would double —to about $24,520 a year . Impossible.
The Texas Dream Act was nuestra esperanza. Our hope. And now? We're still fighting.
For students like me—who grew up here, who are Texan in every way except a piece of paper—it was everything. It was the difference between college and no college. Between a future and stuck.
My older sister used it. She's a nurse now. She pays taxes. She helps people. That's what the Dream Act did.
But last year? A federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. Texas's Attorney General—Ken Paxton—chose not to defend it . So now? Nada. Nothing.
About 19,500 students who signed affidavits for in-state tuition in 2023 alone are now in limbo . Some colleges are honoring it for now. Others aren't. It's a patchwork. A mess.
One student, Jorge, wanted to transfer to Texas State for engineering. With in-state tuition, he could afford it working multiple jobs. Without it? His costs would double —to about $24,520 a year . Impossible.
The Texas Dream Act was nuestra esperanza. Our hope. And now? We're still fighting.