For Immediate Release: January 21, 2026
Contact: Michael Earls, [email protected]
Why Standing Up for Virginia Dreamers’ Tuition Equity Matters
Washington, DC – Last week, MALDEF announced it had filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit seeking to eliminate regular tuition for Dreamers at Virginia institutions of higher education. TheDream.US, the nation’s largest and leading organization supporting Dreamers at the intersection of higher education, workforce development, immigration, and advocacy, issued the following statement in response:
Gaby Pacheco, TheDream.US President & CEO, stated:
“I am beyond grateful to MALDEF and the interveners for standing up for all students in Virginia, including area TheDream.US Scholars and Alumni. Denying Dreamers access to in-state tuition in Virginia and in other states doesn’t just harm Dreamers’ futures, but everyone’s.
Ensuring access to affordable higher education is simply smart policy – it raises revenue for institutions, enriches classrooms, strengthens the economy, and bolsters the state’s future workforce. Yet the stakes are much greater than what can be measured by dollars and cents.
Dreamers who have grown up in Virginia and this nation, and who have studied and succeeded in K-12 schools in the state, should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and afford and access college. Access to in-state tuition isn’t special treatment for these students, but an investment in the future we claim to believe in. Education is a public good and opportunities for Dreamers benefit us all.”
As a Washington Post editorial, “Virginia GOP’s last-ditch attempt to punish ‘Dreamer’ students is cruel,” concluded, those, “who view college admissions in a purely zero-sum way might see this as a victory for American-born students. Those who know the value educated immigrants can provide for the country, however, understand it is a great waste.”
- Read MALDEF’s motion to intervene in the Virginia case HERE and find their press release HERE
- Read the Washington Post editorial, “Virginia GOP’s last-ditch attempt to punish ‘Dreamer’ students is cruel“
About TheDream.US
TheDream.US is the nation’s leading organization supporting Dreamers at the intersection of higher education, workforce development, immigration, and advocacy. We’ve awarded over 12,000 scholarships to immigrant youth from 120+ countries and 45 states, with 4,500 graduates to date. We partner with close to 80 colleges in 20 states and Washington D.C. to provide scholarships, career support, and access to legal options that help Dreamers break through systemic barriers and achieve social mobility.
Through data, Scholar and Alumni stories, strategic partnerships, and targeted state and local advocacy, we work to expand equitable access to college, professional pathways, and permanent legal status. For more information on TheDream.US, visit www.thedream.us
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