The good fight in Colorado

When the Governator, a.k.a. Mr. Brain Freeze, vetoed the California Dream Act earlier this year, thousands were disappointed and puzzled at how senseless his veto message was. Some were left to vent. Others offered hope. But with all that, we knew that California was still ahead of the curve in ensuring equal access to higher education for undocumented students.

Colorado wants to be next. Despite failed attempts to push the Tuition Equity Bill since 2003, Colorado immigrant rights advocates are not giving up hope in pushing for access to in-state tuition for Colorado-raised immigrant youth. The barriers are common to other similar struggles, according to this article by the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition:

"People sometimes confuse (tuition equity) with the larger immigration issue. People fear that they're losing jobs to immigrants. This has nothing to do with that issue. The word 'immigration' causes people's passions to stir. This is a very practical program that would allow high-performing high school students to go to college, just like other Colorado residents."

That would be newly-elected congressman Jared Polis, who is not only a Dreamer supporter, but the third openly gay member of Congress.
It's good to see that new progressive leaders are making the right connections between different struggles.
For now, immigrant rights advocates in Colorado are already laying the groundwork for progress in the state, with resolutions supporting the bill by the University of Northern Colorado board of trustees, as well as by the Denver City Council and Denver Public Schools.
We are going to be rooting for undocumented students in Colorado and elsewhere. DREAM Act!