The Florida Department of Education may require students to prove they are in the country legally before they can enroll in any of the state’s 28 colleges. That move would effectively block undocumented students from attending.
A similar proposal was introduced during the legislative session earlier this year, but Senate Bill 1052 never made it through committee and died in March. Right now, the state is moving forward with a different process that doesn’t involve bills or laws. The education department published a rule they say clarifies criteria for admission into the Florida College System. This proposed rule was published in April as an administrative change.
That kicked off a 21-day period for written public comment which ends today. There’s a public hearing at the Florida State Board of Education’s meeting on Thursday May 14, at Miami Dade College. From there, the board, which is appointed by the governor, is expected to make a final decision on the rule change.
Supporters say it’s about enforcing immigration laws and public institutions funded by taxpayers should prioritize U.S. citizens and people with lawful immigration status.
Critics call it cruel and counterproductive.
Gabby Pacheco joins Engage. She is President and CEO of TheDream.US, a college and career program supporting undocumented students who came to the United States as children, often referred to as Dreamers. Gabby was once one of those students. She was undocumented when she went through Florida’s college system and graduated from Miami Dade College.
The rule change would require students applying to Florida’s 28 state colleges to prove they are citizens or lawfully present before admission. It also gives those schools the ability to deny applicants based on past conduct if they decide it is in the best interest of the institution.
To understand how significant the changes are and what authority the state has over college admissions, Engage speaks to Larry Walker. Walker is Associate Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator in the Department of Educational Leadership in higher education at UCF.
We reached out to state colleges in Central Florida to ask how they’re responding to the rule. Seminole State College of Florida sent us this statement:
"We understand this proposal may raise questions for current and prospective students and their families. Seminole State College is carefully reviewing the proposed rule to ensure continued compliance with all state and federal requirements while maintaining our commitment to student access and success. If the rule is approved, the College will coordinate with the Florida Department of Education and system partners to understand implementation requirements and make any necessary adjustments."
College of Central Florida said they don’t have anyone available to comment on this topic to meet our deadline. We did not hear back from Daytona State College, Valencia College, Polk State College, or Lake-Sumter State College.
