TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A proposal in the Florida Senate is threatening to revoke in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

What You Need To Know

  • A new proposal could end an in-state tuition currently offered to some undocumented immigrants
     
  • Lawmakers approved in-state tuition for qualified undocumented immigrants back in 2014

  • Melbourne Republican State Sen. Randy Fine is the bill's sponsor

The proposal (Senate Bill 90) would reverse a decade-old law that allows in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants that meet certain criteria.

“I don’t think its fair to ask hardworking Floridians who are struggling to make ends meet to spend $45 million subsidizing the education of people shouldn’t even be here,” said the bill's sponsor, Melbourne Republican State Sen. Randy Fine.

Florida is home to roughly 40,000 undocumented students, according to the American Immigration Council. At least 25 states, meanwhile, utilize various tuition equity laws, which support undocumented students through via tuition relief.

“For my four years in the House, we had many students that come up and share their stories about how beneficial this has been to them and to their families,” said Kissimmee Democratic State Sen. Kristen Arrington. “So definitely not in support of it, and I, of course, we’ll be fighting it.”

Florida approved the tuition benefit in 2014 under then Gov. Rick Scott. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, who was then a member of the Florida House, helped spearhead the benefit.

Fine’s proposal is one of several focused on immigration that are expected to emerge ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session, which kicks off in March.