TUCSON, AZ – Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) released the following statement today after news that the Arizona Board of Regents ruled unanimously that, effective immediately, student beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in Arizona may attend any of the state’s three public universities by paying in-state tuition. The decision comes just two days after a Superior Court Judge in Maricopa County ruled similarly that in-state tuition be available to DACA students at Maricopa Community Colleges.

“Not once, but twice this week, our state has risen above the voices of intolerance to recognize that DACA students are every bit as much a part of Arizona as anyone else. This is their home; they are our neighbors; and they deserve the same in-state tuition that every other one of our neighbors is welcome to.

“This is more than a victory for immigrant communities. This is a triumph of common sense. Five years after SB 1070 stagnated our economy, soiled our state’s good name, and tore at the social fabric of our society, we are proving without the shadow of a doubt that we have turned the page. DACA students who earn their education here are better prepared to make their living here, contributing to our economy, creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities. In-state tuition will place higher education within reach for more DACA students, and we are all better off as a result.

“I couldn’t be more proud to see our state blazing a new path on the right side of history today.”

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