FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Gov. Chris Christie signed the New Jersey Dream Act into law, offering young Americans-in-waiting the opportunity to pay in-state tuition rates. Although NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is disappointed that the law does not allow New Jersey “Dreamers” to apply for state financial aid, even though they and their families contribute to the state’s tax coffers, the bill is a significant step toward providing these promising students with the chance to go to college.
“We applaud Gov. Christie and the New Jersey state legislature for working in a bipartisan fashion to pass this important piece of legislation. This bill will help many of New Jersey’s brightest students achieve their dream of obtaining a college education,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Today’s victory shows that both sides of the aisle can come together to invest in our future. We would note that this is still a temporary solution and underscores the importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform, so that DREAMers throughout the U.S. can not only earn a college degree but also live and work without the threat of deportation.”
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
###