Chicago Tribune, "For undocumented immigrants, 1 barrier to college falls"

Gov. Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ Dream Act, creating a private scholarship fund for undocumented as well as documented immigrants. The new law creates a nine-member panel to oversee the fund. It also allows families of immigrant students to participate in the state’s college tuition savings programs and requires high school counselors to undergo training to help undocumented students find ways to pay for college. - HTN Foundation

For undocumented immigrants, 1 barrier to college falls

Quinn signs DREAM Act, which sets up fund for private scholarships

Gov. Pat Quinn holds up the Illinois DREAM Act after signing it into law Monday in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. "We say to all people of our country and our state, we want everybody in, and nobody left out," Quinn said. (José M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune / August 2, 2011)

By Monique Garcia, Tribune reporter
August 2, 2011

Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday signed a measure into law creating a privately funded scholarship program for documented and undocumented immigrants, a move supporters hailed as a civil rights victory as other states have recently moved in the other direction on immigration.

The Illinois DREAM Act creates a nine-member commission that will oversee the scholarship fund, which is aimed at removing one of the biggest barriers to higher education for immigrants: cost.

"It is a special day, a historic day, a landmark day where we in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln … we say to all people of our country and our state, we want everybody in, and nobody left out," Quinn said during a bill-signing ceremony in the Pilsen neighborhood.

<< READ MORE >>