Immigrants to Pay Tuition at Rate Set for Residents

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA.Thousands of illegal immigrants living in Massachusetts can qualify for state resident tuition rates at state colleges, under a policy laid out on Monday by Gov. Deval Patrick — another shift in the fast-changing mosaic of states’ policies toward that population.
 The shift builds on the Obama administration policy, adopted in June, that the federal government will not seek to deport most young immigrants who, as children, were either brought to the United States illegally or kept here illegally. The Massachusetts policy applies to that same group.
Officials say there are very few illegal immigrants currently enrolled who might benefit from the in-state tuition discount; the much larger effect will be in encouraging others to enroll. They estimate that Massachusetts has 15,000 to 17,000 residents in the age group affected by the change in the deportation policy; they would not guess how many might take advantage of new state and federal rules. Read more...