The Biden Administration Early Tuesday it announced an ordinance would be enacted to allow undocumented students access to some of the $ 36 billion in emergency aid that goes to colleges. This is a disconnect from the Trump-era decision to ban these students – even among the nationwide protected known as dreamers. from access to previous funding rounds.
“The pandemic has not discriminated against the students,” Miguel Cardona, the education minister, told reporters during a phone call on Monday that previewed the government’s plans. “We know the final rule will include all students, and we want to make sure that all students have access to funds to get them back on track.”
The decision is a 180-degree lynchpin in attempts by Trump administration officials to prevent most immigrant students from accessing relief supplies. Last June, Betsy DeVos, Donald J. Trump’s Education Secretary, issued an emergency rule banning international undocumented students – including tens of thousands of so-called dreamers protected under the Deferred Action on Child Arrivals program – Access to an earlier round of over $ 6 billion in emergency funds. This decision was quickly made by legal challenges.
Biden administrative officer for months considered whether the emergency benefits should be extended to undocumented students who are not entitled to other forms of study allowance. Under current welfare laws, undocumented immigrants are still largely ineligible to receive money from federal programs. including funds from the $ 1.9 trillion pandemic relief package signed by President Biden on March 11.
On Monday evening, an education spokeswoman who was not empowered to explain the planning publicly stated that the administration had the authority to allocate funds to undocumented students through the $ 2.2 trillion Emergency Fund for Higher Education under the CARES Act distribute Former President Trump signed in March last year, and Congress “did not draw sharp lines on who is a student” when determining who could get money from this fund.
Existing admission requirements for the fund “make it clear that the emergency financial aid can support all students who are or were enrolled at a university during the national COVID-19 emergency, and it is up to the institution to distribute the funds to the students on most in need, “said the spokeswoman in a statement. (Last year, Ms. DeVos relied on a similarly vague definition to create the Trump-era rule.)
Mr. Cardona previewed the decision to reporters and phrased it for convenience: “What she’s doing is really simplifying the definition of a student. This makes it easier for colleges to manage the program and get money into students’ hands sooner. ”
About half of the $ 36 billion allocated for colleges will go directly to students, Cardona said, and about $ 10 billion will be given to community colleges.
Aside from direct grants to individual students, the funds will be used to strengthen academic support services, purchase laptops, and expand mental health programs. All students, including those who have not previously applied for formal federal grants, are now eligible for grants, according to the Department of Education.
