2013 ohio latino community report for the 130th general assembly deferred action for childhood...

8/14/2019 2013 Ohio Latino Community Report For the 130th General Assembly Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Eligibi

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2013

LatinoCommunity

Report

For the 130th General Assembly

Deferred Action for

Childhood Arrivals

Eligibility, Demographics, and Implications for Ohio


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ThisLatinoCommunityReportwascomposedbyNolanStevens,J.D.,PublicPolicyOfficerattheOhio

CommissiononHispanic/LatinoAffairs.OCHLAismandatedbyOhiolawtoadvisethemembersofOhios

GeneralAssemblyontheparticularissues,challengesandopportunitiesfacingtheirHispanic

constituents.LatinoCommunityReportsarereleasedthreetimespercalendaryear,andeachcovera

differenttopic.

ToviewpriorLatinoCommunityReports,orformoreinformation,pleasevisitOCHLAswebsiteat

http://www.ochla.ohio.gov,calltheofficeat(614)4668333,orbyemailingOCHLAslegislativeliaison

NolanStevens,[email protected].

36th

BoardofCommissioners,October2012September2013

MichaelG.Florez,ChairCincinnati

V.AnthonySimmsHowellCincinnati

IrisMartinezDayton

LuisTonyOrtizDayton

Rev.MaxRodasCleveland

MarySantiagoLorain

RichardRomeroLorain

BaldemarVelasquezToledo

SenatorGayleManning(exofficio)13thDistrict

SenatorCharletaTavares(exofficio)15th

District

RepresentativeDanRamos(exofficio)56thDistrict

RepresentativeMattLynch(exofficio)76th

District

Staff

LilleanaCavanaugh,

MBA,

CPM

Executive

Director

LairMarinMarcumLatinoCommunityOfficer

NolanStevens,JDPublicPolicyOfficer

FaustoRivasAdministrativeClerk

*Allincluded,uncreditedgraphicsareeitheroriginatedbytheauthororotherwisefreefromcopyrightclaims.


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1. ExecutiveSummaryThereportisacomprehensiveanalysisoftheDeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsinitiativeandits

implicationsforOhio.Itisdividedintoseveralsections,whichcover,respectively:anintroductionto

DACA,adiscussion

of

DACA

eligibility

requirements,

an

overview

of

the

DACA

application

process,

an

explorationofthedemographicsofDACArecipients,andananalysisoftheimplicationsofDeferred

ActionforOhio.Eachsectionreliesonlaws,reportsandanalysesgeneratedbymyriadthirdparties,in

additiontosomeoriginalresearch.Hyperlinksinfootnoteswilltakereaderstosourcedocuments.

Theinitialsectiondescribesthebasicsoftheprogram,includingitsoriginandthebenefitsthat

approvedapplicantsreceive.DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsisaformofprosecutorialdiscretion

initiatedbytheU.S.DepartmentofHomelandSecurityinJune2012.Recipientsarelawfullypresentin

theUnitedStatesforrenewabletwoyearperiods,andreceiveworkauthorizationsandSocialSecurity

Numbers.Whileitcontemplatesthesamegroupofyoungundocumentedimmigrants,itisnotthe

DREAM

Act,

because

it

does

not

provide

a

path

to

citizenship.

It

also

is

not

an

executive

order,

and

it

is

notanamnesty.

ThesecondsectionincludesasummaryoftheeligibilityrequirementsforDeferredAction.Applicants

mustmeetage,durationofpresenceintheU.S.andeducationormilitaryservicerequirementstobe

approvedfortheprogram.Further,applicantscannothaveconvictionsforfeloniesorsignificant

misdemeanors,orthreeormoreothermisdemeanors.Thethirdsection,whichcoverstheapplication

process,discussesthesignificantfeesthatDACAapplicantspay,thebackgroundandbiometricschecks

towhichtheymustsubmit,andthemethodsbywhichapplicantsproveidentity,age,educationand

presence.Thesectionincludesinformationonthesomewhatlowapplicationrate,aswellasthehigh

approvalrateforthosethatdoapply.Finally,thesectionmentionsthepotentialforsocallednotario

fraud,whereinconartistsvictimizeapplicantsinsearchoflegaladviceandassistance.

Thereportalsodiscussesthedemographicprofileofthe1.9millionyoungimmigrantsthatareormay

beeligibletoapplyforDeferredAction.Itincludesdiscussionsonstateofresidence,countryoforigin,

Englishproficiency,age,economicindicators,employmentandeducationalachievement.Manyyoung

immigrantsthatmayonedaybeeligibleforDACAcurrentlyarenotduetotheirageorduetotheir

lackofeducationalattainment.Eachgrouphassubtlydifferentdemographicprofiles.Finally,thesection

examinesOhiosDACAeligiblepopulationandcontextualizesitwithreferencetothesamepopulation

inotherstates.

Thereport

then

turns

to

the

implications

of

DACA

for

Ohio.

The

primary

question

which

arises

when

applyingestablishedOhiolawtoanewclassofimmigrantiswhetherornottheseyoungpeoplewillbe

eligibleforstatebenefitsand,ifso,whichones.Thereporttouchesonmanyfacetsofthisquestion

whileexaminingtwospecificbenefitsinclosedetaildriverslicensesandinstatetuitionforhigher

education.Inbothcases,OhiohasadministrativelydecidedtograntthesebenefitstoDACArecipients.

Alsoinbothcases,pendinglegislationbeforetheOhioGeneralAssemblywouldreversethose

administrativepolicydecisions.Thesectionalsoincludesabriefrundownofthepolicydecisionsthat


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otherstateshavereached.Thefinalsectionbrieflylooksaheadtothenextlikelypolicyreconciliationfor

DACAandOhiolawprofessionallicensureandcontextualizesDeferredActionwithinthebroader

nationalcontextofimmigrationreform.ItalsoremindslegislatorsthatthePublicPolicyCenteratthe

OhioLatinoAffairsCommissionisreadyandavailabletoserveOhiosGeneralAssemblyasitcrafts

policiesof

import

to

Ohio

Hispanics.

2. WhatisDACA?

DACAisanacronymthatstandsforDeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals.Thenamereferstoa2012

U.S.DepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)policynotanexecutiveorder,asisfrequentlyalleged

thatreprioritizesdeportationsofundocumentedimmigrants.Theinitiativegrantstocertainyoung

immigrantsthatmeettheeligibilitycriteriaandhavecleancriminalbackgroundsatwoyeardeferralof

actionon

their

cases.

That

is,

the

United

States

will

not

pursue

their

deportation

for

two

years.

Further,

approvedapplicantsareconsideredlawfullypresentintheUnitedStatesforthedurationoftheirtwo

yearsunderDACA1,anddonotaccrueunauthorizedstayduringthattime.Approvedapplicantsalso

receiveanemploymentauthorizationdocument(EAD),commonlycalledaworkpermit,thatisvalid

fortwoyears.TheyalsoreceiveanattendantSocialSecurityNumberandmayhaveaccesstocertain

statelevelbenefitstowhichtheylackedaccesspriortoapplication.Thesetwoyearperiodsare

renewableaslongasDACArecipientsmaintaineligibilityfortheprogram.

ItsimportanttopausebrieflyheretonotethatDeferredActionshouldnotbeconfusedwiththe

DREAMAct.TheDevelopment,ReliefandEducationofAlienMinorsAct,forwhichDREAMAct

stands,is

alegislative

proposal

which

was

last

before

the

Congress

of

the

United

States

in

December

of

2010.WhileDACAandTheDREAMActbothcontemplatethesamedemographicyoung

undocumentedimmigrantstudentsorsoldiersthathavecleancriminalbackgroundstheyoperatein

verydifferentways.TheDREAMActwouldhaveprovidedapathtocitizenship,beginningwiththe

provisionoftemporaryresidencyforsixyears,duringwhichastudentcouldfinishhisorhereducation

andapplyforlawfulpermanentresident(LPR)status.Onceanimmigranthasbeenalegalpermanent

residentgreencardholder foracertainnumberofyears,heorshecanapplyforfullU.S.citizenship.

DACAhasnosuchpathtocitizenship,andindeeddoesnotevengrantanapplicantalawfulimmigration

status.WhileDACArecipientsdonotaccumulateunauthorizedstay,theirimmigrationstatusremains

unlawful.Theexecutivebranchprobablycannotprovideapathtocitizenshipsuchapowerrests

onlywith

Congress,

which

has

not

enacted

the

DREAM

Act

or

comprehensive

immigration

reform.

The

DREAMActpassedtheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesin2010,butfellfivevotesshortofthe60required

forclotureintheU.S.Senate.2

1FrequentlyAskedQuestions,U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices,1/18/2013.2U.S.SenateRollCallVotes,SecondSessionofthe111

thCongress,12/18/2010.


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AsDACAgrantsnolawfulimmigrationstatus,itisalsonotanamnesty.Amnestyisanactbya

sovereignauthorityforgivingagroupofpersonsthatcouldfacetrialbuthavenotyetbeenconvicted3.

DACAgrantsatwoyearreprievefromtheaccumulationofunauthorizedstay,butdoesnotcontemplate

potentialfutureenforcementactionagainstrecipients.DACAalsoappliesonlytoaverynarrowgroupof

undocumentedimmigrants.

Eligibility

requirements

shave

the

pool

of

DACA

applicants

from

the

approximately11millionundocumentedimmigrants4livingintheUnitedStates,toabout1.9million5.

Bycontrast,PresidentReaganssigningoftheImmigrationReformandControlActin1986granted

universalamnestytomorethanthreemillionundocumentedimmigrants.6

DACAisaformofprosecutorialdiscretion,whichitselfisaformofselectiveenforcement.Selective

enforcementoccurswhenalawenforcementofficialexerciseshisorherowndiscretionindetermining

whetherornottopursuecriminalchargesagainstagivenindividualandunderacertainsetoffacts.

Whenpoliceofficersissuewarningstotrafficviolators,forexample,orwhencountyprosecutorsdecline

tochargeanindividualtheyarebothexercisingselectiveenforcement.Inthelattercase,thecounty

prosecutoris

exercising

prosecutorial

discretion

exactly

as

aDHS

attorney

that

declines

to

initiate

a

removalactionagainstagivenindividualforimmigrationlawviolationsdoesunderthedirectivesof

DACA.Whilethisistheeasiestparalleltodraw,immigrationlawisgenerallycivilnotcriminalin

nature.Prosecutorialdiscretionhaslongbeenrecognizedasalegitimateexerciseofexecutiveauthority

byU.S.courts7.

Prosecutorialdiscretionisespeciallyprominentduetoitsroleintherecentadministrationof

immigrationlawbytheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity.InJuneof2011,ImmigrationandCustoms

Enforcement(ICE)abranchofDHS adoptedaninstitutionalizedprosecutorialdiscretionpolicyatthe

directiveoftheagencysleader.CalledTheMortonMemoafterthenICEdirectorJohnMorton,the

policyauthorized

ICE

agents

to

use

prosecutorial

discretion

in

apprehending

and

deporting

undocumentedimmigrants.8AsICElackstheresourcestodeporteveryundocumentedimmigrantthat

theyencounter,thememoinstructedICEpersonneltofocusoncriminalundocumentedimmigrants,

andlistedfactorstoconsiderinweighingwhetherornottoarrestanddeportincludingcriminal

record,durationofstayintheU.S.,veteranstatus,familytiesandothers.Thememoends,however,

withaclearstatementthatitsnottobeconstruedtolimitICEsimmigrationenforcementcapacitiesin

anyway,andthatitcreatesnorightsorexpectationsinundocumentedimmigrants.Ayearlater,then

3BryanA.Gardner(ed.);2009.BlacksLawDictionary(9thed.).4UndocumentedImmigrantsintheU.S.,PewResearchCenter,4/30/2009.5DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsattheOneYearMark,IssueBrief#8,MigrationPolicyInstitute,August,2013.6NationofImmigrants,Coutin,SusanBibler.CornellUniversityPress,2007.7SeeCriminalProcedure1.9(c)(3ded.2007)WayneR.LaFaveetal.,(Thereisuniversalagreementinthemoderncommentaryastothecentralroleofdiscretionaryauthorityintheadministrationofthecriminaljusticeprocess.).8MemoonExercisingProsecutorialDiscretionConsistentwiththeCivilImmigrationEnforcementPrioritiesoftheAgencyfortheApprehension,DetentionandRemovalofAliens,ICEDirectorJohnMorton,6/17/2011.


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SecretaryJanetNapolitanoannouncedtheDACAprogram,asthelatestevolutioninprosecutorial

discretionattheDepartment.

TherewerelegalchallengestoDACA,anditsconstitutionalityisnotuniversallyaccepted.Alawsuitfiled

byofficials

at

ICE

challenged

both

the

Morton

Memo

and

the

Deferred

Action

initiative

on

the

ground

thatitrequiredthemtoviolatefederalimmigrationlaw9.InJanuary,federalDistrictCourtJudgeReed

OConnorsaidindictathathewouldlikelyruleagainsttheDACAprogram,butheinsteaddismissedthe

caseonJuly31forlackofsubjectmatterjurisdiction,citingthedisputeresolutiontermsoftheCivil

ServiceReformAct.10WhileacomparativelysmallgroupoflegalscholarshavequestionedDACAs

constitutionallegitimacy,itremainsthelawoftheland.

Insum,DACAisaformofprosecutorialdiscretionemployedbytheU.S.DepartmentofHomeland

Securitytodeprioritizethedeportationofyoungimmigrantsthatmeetcertaineligibilityrequirements.

Acceptancegrantstherecipientrenewabletwoyearworkpermitsandthefreedomfromthreatof

deportationifcircumstancesrelativetoeligibilitydontchange.Itis,tothispoint,alegitimateexercise

ofexecutiveauthoritybutitisnotanexecutiveorder,isnotamnestyanditisnottheDREAMAct.

YoungOhioimmigrants.ImagecourtesyofDREAMActivistOhio.

9Cranev.Napolitano,U.S.DistrictCourtfortheNorthernDistrictofTexas,7/31/2013.ThesuitwasfiledbyKris

Kobach,KansasSecretaryofState,onbehalfofICEagentChristopherCrane.SecretaryKobachalsoheadsthelegal

armofthenationalnonprofitFederationforAmericanImmigrationReform(FAIR),whichtheSouthernPoverty

LawCenterhasclassifiedasanantiimmigranthategroup(IntelligenceFiles:FAIR,SouthernPovertyLawCenter).10

Cranev.Napolitano,supra.


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3. EligibilityRequirements

ApplicantsforDACAmustsatisfyanumberofeligibilityrequirementsmanyofwhichrequireproofto

befurnished

by

the

applicant.

DACA

applicants

must

be

within

acertain

age

range,

must

have

entered

theUnitedStatesbeforeacertainageandmusthaveremainedhereeversince.Theymustbeastudent,

graduate,soldierorveteran,musthaveacleancriminalrecordand,finally,mustnotposeathreatto

nationalsecurityorpublicsafety.Essentially,theDACAapplicantmustproveage,presence,valueto

societyandgoodcharacter.Specifically,applicantmust11:

1. Havebeenundertheageof31asofJune15,2012;2. HavecometotheUnitedStatesbeforereachinghisorher16thbirthday;3. HavecontinuouslyresidedintheUnitedStatessinceJune15,2007,uptothepresenttime;4. HavebeenphysicallypresentintheUnitedStatesonJune15,2012,andatthetimeofmaking

hisor

her

request

for

consideration

of

deferred

action

with

USCIS;

5. HaveenteredwithoutinspectionbeforeJune15,2012,orhisorherlawfulimmigrationstatusmusthaveexpiredasofJune15,2012;

6. Mustcurrentlybeinschool,havegraduatedorobtainedacertificateofcompletionfromhighschool,haveobtainedageneraleducationdevelopment(GED)certificate,orbeanactive

memberof,orhonorablydischargedveteranof,theCoastGuardorarmedforcesoftheUnited

States;and

7. Havenotbeenconvictedofafelony,asignificantmisdemeanor,threeormoreothermisdemeanors,andmustotherwisenotposeathreattonationalsecurityorpublicsafety.

Anapplicant

also

cannot

have

afelony

conviction

defined

by

federal

immigration

law

as

an

offense

for

whichthemaximumtermofincarcerationisgreaterthanoneyear ontheirrecords.Likewise,DACA

applicantscannothaveasignificantmisdemeanorconvictionontheirrecords.Again,misdemeanor

isdefinedaccordingtofederallaw,andmeansanyoffenseforwhichthemaximumtermof

imprisonmentisgreaterthanfivedaysbutlessthanoneyear.Significantmisdemeanorsarethose

misdemeanorssocietygenerallyconsidersmoreseriousburglary,sexualabuseorexploitation,

domesticviolence,drugdistributionortrafficking,unlawfulpossessionoruseofafirearmordriving

undertheinfluenceregardlessofthetimeserved.Italsoincludesanymisdemeanorconviction,even

outsidetheaboveenumeratedcrimes,forwhichtimeactuallyservedexceeds90days.Notethatthis

mustbetimeactuallyserved.Suspendedsentencesareexcluded.

More,anapplicantforDACAcannothavethreeormorenonsignificantmisdemeanorsonhisorher

record.Nonsignificantmisdemeanorsaredefinedasthosemisdemeanorsthatdontinvolvethe

enumeratedcrimesaboveandforwhichtimeserveddoesnotexceed90days.Inordertodisqualifyan

applicant,thesethreenonsignificantmisdemeanorsmusthavearisenfromdifferentfactsor

11ConsiderationofDeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsProcess,USCIS.


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circumstances.Forexample,ifayoungimmigrantisconvictedofthreeminormisdemeanorsstemming

fromonecriminalact,thisalonewillnotautomaticallydisqualifyhim.Finally,anapplicantmustnot

otherwisebeathreattonationalsecurityorpublicsafety.ItsimportanttonotethatasDeferredAction

lastsonlyforrenewabletwoyearperiods,andapplicantsmustreapplyeachtime,anyDACAapplicants

convictedfor

disqualifying

crimes

during

their

two

year

Deferred

Action

periods

likely

will

not

be

approvedfortheprogramuponreapplying.

ItscriticaltorememberthatDACAisentirelydiscretionary.USCIShastheauthorityto,inexceptional

circumstances,approveanapplicationwithanostensiblydisqualifyingconviction,forexample,orif

othereligibilityrequirementsareunmet.Accordingly,someoftheeligibilityrequirementsmayactually

bemorelaxthantheyfirstappear.Forexample,somebriefabsencesfromtheUnitedStatesduringthe

fiveyearqualifyingperiodarenotnecessarilyfataltoanapplicantschances.Also,expungedorjuvenile

convictionswillnotautomaticallydisqualifyanapplicant.Theeligibilityrequirementsarefleshedoutin

muchgreaterdetailbytheFAQthatUSCISmaintains12.

12FrequentlyAskedQuestions,USCIS.


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4. ApplicationProcess

DACAapplicationsformI821(D) areprocessedbyUSCIS,whichbeganacceptingapplicationson

August15,

2012.

The

agency

reviews

each

application

on

acase

by

case

basis,

and

decides

whether

or

nottheapplicantwillbegrantedDeferredAction.Evenapplicantsthatareindeportationproceedings

orhavereceivedafinalremovalordercanapply.Inthiscase,anapplicantneednothavereachedthe

ageof15.

Inadditiontothatform,applicantsmustsubmitanI765applicationforworkauthorizationandan

attendantworksheet. Asapartoftheapplicationprocess,DACAaspirantsmustsubmittoabackground

checkandbiometricsfingerprintingandphotographing.Applicantsarealsorequiredtopaya

significantfee $380dollarswiththeI821(D)andanother$85feeforbiometricsatotalof$46513.

Theapplicationprocesscanbefairlyinvolved,asapplicantsmustproveeachofthefacetsofeligibility

outlinedabove.

USCIS

maintains

alist

of

documents

which

are

acceptable

proof

for

each

element,

but

generallymostpresencerequirementsareprovedthroughutilitybills,schoolrecordsandmedicalbills.

Ifanapplicationisdenied,DHSgenerallywillnotuseanapplicantsinformationtoinitiatearemoval

proceeding exceptwhencriminalactivityorfraudisinvolvedorinotherexceptionalcircumstances.

Likewise,informationinanapplicationexposingtheundocumentedstatusofanapplicantsrelativeis

notusedforenforcementpurposes.14

Forasrigorousastheapplicationprocessappears,theapprovalrateisextraordinarilyhigh.Sincethe

agencybeganacceptingapplications,USCIShasapproved455,455applicationsofthe567,563

applicationsithasacceptednationwide,andhaveonlydenied9,57815.Therestoftheapplications

remainunder

review.

The

denial

rate

is

only

about

1.6%,

but

there

may

be

adisproportionate

number

of

denialsamongthosecasesstillpendingreview.USCISreceivesanaverageof2,158DACAapplications

perday,butthatnumberhasdeclinedsharplyfromahighof5,493perdayoneyearago,inOctober

2012.16Itisunclearwhy,exactly,theapprovalratefortheprogramissohigh.Somecriticsquestionthe

approvalprocessasarubberstamp,andaccuseUSCISoflaxstandardsinapprovingapplications.

Otherssuggestthatthedetailedandformulaicnatureoftheapplication,combinedwiththestakes

involvedandtheprevalenceofattorneyfilings,suggestthatapplicantsarecareful,andthusthe

applicationsarethoroughandcompletefromthebeginning.Ifanapplicantisdenied,thereisnoappeal

process.

Thereis

asignificant

potential

for

consumer

fraud

targeting

potential

DACA

applicants.

Many

self

styled

notarioswillchargeanapplicantagreatdealforfilinghisDACAapplication,whenthetruthisthatthe

applicantmaynotneedanattorneyatall.InmanypartsofLatinAmerica,notariosarepublicofficials

13ConsiderationofDeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsProcess,supra.14FrequentlyAskedQuestions,supra.15DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals,SeptemberMonthlyReport,USCIS.16Id.


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CHILDHOODARRIVALSDEFERREDACTION forCONSIDERATION of

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals allows certain individuals, whomeet specific guidelines, to request consideration of deferred action fromUSCIS. Individuals who receive deferred action will not be placed intoremoval proceedings or removed from the United States for a specifiedperiod of time unless terminated. If you receive deferred action, you maybe eligible for employment authorization. You may request deferredaction for childhood arrivals if you meet the following guidelines:

Review guidelines

Can I be considered?

You came to the UnitedStates before reaching your16th birthday

You have continuouslyresided in the United Statessince June 15, 2007, up tothe present time

You were under the age of31 as of June 15, 2012

You entered withoutinspection before June 15,2012, or your lawfulimmigration status expiredas of June 15, 2012

You are currently in school, havegraduated or obtained your certificateof completion from high school, haveobtained your general educationaldevelopment certification, or you arean honorably discharged veteran ofthe Coast Guard or Armed Forcesof the United States

Collect documents

You have not been convicted ofa felony, significant misdemeanor,or three or more misdemeanors,and do not otherwise pose a threat

How do I file?

You were present in the UnitedStates on June 15, 2012, and atthe time of making your requestfor consideration of deferredaction with USCIS

JUNE

as evidence youmeet the guidelines

Check the status ofyour request online

USCIS.gov

USCISForm

Visit your local USCISComplete USCIS

forms and fees

Application Support CenterForms I-821D and I-765

Mail USCIS

(total $465)

for a scheduled biometricsservices appointment

www.uscis.gov/childhoodarrivals

If you have questions about your request

please call USCIS Customer Service

at 1-800-375-5283or 1-800-767-1833 (TDD)
http://www.uscis.gov/childhoodarrivalshttp://www.uscis.gov/childhoodarrivals


11/35

withconsiderablybroaderofficialfunctionsandcapacitiesthanourownnotaries.Formanynew

Americanimmigrants,notariosareakintoabogadosattorneys. TheOhioCommissionon

Hispanic/LatinoAffairs(OCHLA)workedwiththeConsumerProtectiondivisioninAttorneyGeneral

DeWinesofficetopublishandcirculateabilingualpressreleaseandothermessagesinbothEnglishand

Spanishwarning

the

community

to

be

wary

of

notario

fraud

in

the

wake

of

DACAs

announcement.

InadditiontowarningOhioLatinosofpotentialnotarioscams,OCHLAworkedwithprominent

immigrationattorneysaroundthestatetohostinformationalQ&AsessionsforOhioLatinoswhowere

consideringapplyingforDACA.TheagencyorganizedorattendedsessionsliketheseinColumbus,

ClevelandandDayton.TheCommissionrecommendstoallconstituentsconsideringapplyingfor

DeferredActionthattheyconsultanimmigrationattorneybeforeapplyingfortheprogram.

5. DemographicProfileofDACARecipients

ThegroupofeligibleDACAapplicantsisfinitebutuncertain.AsapplicantsmusthaveenteredtheU.S.by

June15th2007andmusthavelackedalawfulimmigrationstatusonJune15th,2012 nosubsequent

immigrantstotheUnitedStatesareeligibleforDACA.Likewise,allundocumentedimmigrants31or

olderonJune15th,2012arenotDACAeligible.Ontheotherhand,someundocumentedimmigrantsare

eligiblefortheprogrambutlacktheeducationalrequirement,whichtheycanrectify.Likewise,many

childrenthatwillbeeligiblefortheprogramhavenotyetreachedtheageatwhichtheycanapply15.

Countingundocumentedimmigrantsisadubiousprocess,evenfortheU.S.CensusBureau.Thereare

about11.9millionundocumentedimmigrantsintheUnitedStates17.Accordingtoestimatesfromthe

MigrationPolicyInstitute,about1.9millionofthoseimmigrantsare,orcouldbecome,eligiblefor

DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals18.Ofthatgroup,threedistinctsubgroupshaveemerged:those

presentlyeligibleforDeferredAction,thoseeligibleforDeferredActionexceptthattheylackthe

educationormilitaryservicecomponent,andthosewhomaybeeligibleforDeferredActionexceptthat

theyhavenotyetreachedtheir15thbirthday.

Giventheseestimates,thepoolofpresentlyeligiblepotentialDACAapplicantswasmadeupof1.09

millionyoungpeople,19butonlyabout49%hadappliedwhenMPIreleasedtheirreportayearintothe

program.20Giventhebenefitsofapplicationandthehighapprovalrate,atfirstitappearscuriousthatso

manypotentialapplicantshavenotapplied.Infact,however,thereareseveralfactorsthatcoulddeter

application.As

the

MPI

report

suggests,

difficulty

paying

the

significant

application

fees,

an

inability

to

proveonesidentity,presenceorage,concernoverpotentiallydisqualifyingcriminaloffensesandfear

ofexposureforthemselvesandfamilymembersmayallplayaroleinchillingapplications.Alternatively,

17UndocumentedImmigrantsintheU.S.,supra.18DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsattheOneYearMark,supra.19Id.20Id.


12/35

asanyonecanapplyforDeferredActionasadefensetoremovalproceedings,someyoungimmigrants

especiallytheyoungestwhoarenotyetmembersoftheworkforce maysimplybewaitingtoapply

untiltheyhaveto.

OriginallypublishedbytheMigrationPolicyInstitute.MPIisanindependent,nonpartisanthinktankinWashington,DC,dedicatedtothestudyofthemovementofpeopleworldwide.(www.migrationpolicy.org).

The

plurality

of

young

immigrants

that

have

applied

hail

from

California

and

Texas,

which

together

are

hometo44%ofpotentialDACAapplicantsand45%ofactualapplicantsthusfar21.Applicationratesvary

dramaticallybystateFloridaandNewYorktrailTexasandCaliforniaconsiderably,whileratesin

GeorgiaandNorthCarolina,whichbothhavecomparativelysmallundocumentedimmigrant

populations,areamongthehighestinthecountry22.Oneexplanationfordisparateapplicationrates

couldbestatepoliciesaffectingtheeasewithwhichanundocumentedimmigrantcanenterthe

workforceGeorgia,forexample,requiresallemployerstousethefederalemploymenteligibility

verificationsystemEVerify,makingworkevenhardertofindwithoutworkauthorization.

OfthealmosttwomillionyoungimmigrantsthatultimatelycouldbeeligibletoapplyforDeferred

Action,theoverwhelmingmajorityoriginatefromLatinAmerica,particularlyMexico23.Immigrantsfrom

Mexico,HondurasandotherCentralAmericancountriesalsoleadinapplicationrates24.Whileyouth

fromMexico,ElSalvador,GuatemalaandHondurasaccountfor68%ofthecurrentlyeligiblepopulation,

theymakeup85%ofthosethathaveappliedforDACA.Seventysevenpercent(77%)ofallapproved

21Id.22Id.23Id.24Id.

57%

21%

22%

BreakdownofYoungImmigrantsthatmaybeeligibleforDACA

CurrentlyEligibleYouth

ChildrenEligibleinthe

Future(


13/35

applicationsareforyoungimmigrantsoriginallyborninMexico25.Applicationratesaremuchlower,

curiously,amongyouthoriginallyfromtheDominicanRepublicandfromAsiancountries.

OriginCountry

CurrentlyEligiblePopulation

ShareofallCurrentlyEligibleYouth

ApplicationsAcceptedforProcessing

ApplicationRate

Mexico 637,000 59% 409,000 64%

ElSalvador 47,000 4% 21,000 45%

Guatemala 29,000 3% 13,000 47%

Honduras 24,000 2% 14,000 58%

Korea 22,000 2% 7,000 33%

Philippines 22,000 2% 4,000 16%

Columbia 19,000 2% 5,000 28%

Dominican

Republic

17,000 2% 2,000 14%

OriginallypublishedbytheMigrationPolicyInstitute.MPIisanindependent,nonpartisanthinktankinWashington,DC,dedicatedtothestudyofthemovementofpeopleworldwide.(www.migrationpolicy.org).Asyouthisaneligibilityrequirementforapplication,mostamongthecurrentlyeligibleDACApopulation

havedemographicprofilesindicativeoftheirages.About24%ofthosecurrentlyeligibleareenrolledin

K12education,whiletheremainderalreadyhavetheirhighschooldiplomaorGED(44%),orare

enrolledinorhavehadsomelevelofcollegeeducation(32%)26.Anestimated60%arefullybilingual,

with9%speakingonlyEnglish;theremainderidentifiedaslimitedEnglishproficient(LEP),with10%indicatingthattheystruggleconsiderablywiththeEnglishlanguage27.Malesoutnumberfemales(55%

45%)amongthecurrentlyeligiblepopulation,55%ofwhomworkand11%ofwhomhaveminor

childrenoftheirown.35%ofthosecurrentlyeligibleforDeferredActionhaveincomesplacingthem

belowthefederalpovertyline(FPL).

InadditiontothosealreadyeligibletoapplyforDeferredAction,therearearound423,000young

immigrants28thatwouldbeeligibletoapplyforDACAbutlackahighschooldiplomaoritsequivalent,

andarenotenrolledinschool.TheseyoungpeoplewillbecomeeligibletoapplyforDACAiftheyreturn

toschoolorenrollinaGEDprogram.Thisgroupis comparedtothosecurrentlyeligiblemore

dominatedbymen(64%)thanwomen,poorer(42%belowFPL),morelikelytowork(71%),morelikely

tohavechildren(31%)andmorethantwiceaslikelytostrugglewithEnglish(69%LEP)29.

Thebarriersbetweenthissecondgroupandtheeducationalattainmenttheyrequiretobeeligiblefor

DeferredAction

are

significant30.

These

young

people

are

largely

workforce

participants,

and

many

have

25DACASeptemberReport,USCIS,supra.26DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalsattheOneYearMark,supra.27Id.28Id.29Id.30Id.


14/35

childrenoftheirown.TheseconcernslikelymakeitdifficulttoattendclassesinpursuitofaGED,as

theseyoungpeoplewouldhavetoarrangeforchildcareandtimeofffromwork,inadditionto

transportation.Second,thisgroupislargelyLEP.Anecdotally,GEDprogramsofferedinSpanishorfor

LEPstudentsarerelativelyrare,atleastinOhio,evenifapplicantscantaketheGEDexamitselfin

Spanish.Finally,

for

agroup

thats

this

statistically

poor,

the

tuition

costs

for

otherwise

appropriate

GED

coursessometimesaddonemoreobstacletopursuingeducationaleligibility.

Finally,therearethosechildrenwhoarenotyetageeligibletoapplyforDeferredAction,butwhoone

daymaybeeligible.Thereareanestimated392,000childrennationwideinthisgroup,andalmosthalf

ofthemwillsoonbecomeeligibletoapply49%areage121531.Inadditiontoreachingtheapplication

age,thesechildrenwillultimatelyhavetocompletetheirhighschooleducationstoremaineligiblefor

DACA.ThisgroupalsofacesbarrierstoattainingDACAeligibility.Twentysevenpercent(27%)areLEP32,

andthoughsomewillgrowinEnglishproficiencyastheycontinueinschoolmanywillremainLEP

throughouthighschool,andthemajorityofthesestudentsareHispanic.BothHispanic33andLEP34

studentgraduation

rates

lag

considerably

behind

the

national

averages.

Finally,

more

than

half

57%

ofthesechildrenlivebelowtheFPL,andafull84%arefromfamiliesearninglessthan200%oftheFPL.

Thenegativecorrelationbetweenpovertyandeducationalattainmentiswelldocumented35.

Ohioranks30th

amongU.S.statesandterritorieswith3,019acceptedapplicationsand2,291

approvals36.TheMigrationPolicyInstituteestimatesthattherearebetween10,000and20,000young

immigrantsinOhiothatmayultimatelybeeligibleforDACA37.Applyingthesenationwideeligibilityand

applicationrateestimatestoanestimatedpopulationof10,000to20,000eligibleimmigrantsinOhio,

thereare5,700to11,400youngpeoplepresentlyeligibleforDeferredAction,while2,200to4,400lack

theeducationalcomponentofeligibilityandanother2,100to4,200childrenarenotyet15yearsoldbut

willbecome

eligible

to

apply

upon

reaching

that

age.

With

these

figures,

there

is

no

certain

difference

betweennationalapplicationratesandapplicationratesinOhiosomewherebetween26%and53%of

thoseeligiblenowhaveappliedfortheprogram.Withthenationalapplicationrateclosertothehigh

endofthatspreadat49%,itispossiblethatOhioansarelesslikelytohaveappliedfortheprogramthan

youngimmigrantsinotherstates.

Notably,thosestateswithrelativelylarge,establishedanddominantMexicanpopulationsCalifornia

andTexashavethehighestapplicationrateswhilethosewithmorediverseimmigrantpopulations

Florida,NewYorkandothershavelowerrates.Approximately82.5%ofCalifornias14million

31Id.

32Id.

33DropOutRateFastFacts,NationalCenterforEducationStatistics,U.S.DepartmentofEducation.

34RegulatoryAdjustedCohortRate,LimitedEnglishProficient:20102011,EdDataExpress,U.S.Departmentof

Education.35

See,e.g.,TheImpactofPovertyonEducationalOutcomesforChildren,H.B.Ferguson,S.Bavaird,M.P.Mueller,

PaediatricChildHealth.2007October;12(8):701706.36

DACASeptemberReport,USCIS,supra.37

RelieffromDeportation:DemographicProfileofDREAMersPotentiallyEligibleundertheDeferredAction

Policy,MigrationPolicyInstitute,August2012.http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/fs24_deferredaction.pdf.


15/35

HispanicsareofMexicandescent38whiletheHispanicpopulationsofFloridaandNewYorkare

dominatedbyCubansandPuertoRicansrespectively39.PuertoRicans,ofcourse,arefullU.S.citizens

andthusnotimmigrants,andnotcontemplatedbyDeferredAction.OhiosHispanicpopulationis

somewhereinthemiddleMexicansmakeupthelargestgroupofOhioHispanicsataround50%,but

Ohioalso

has

the

10th

largest

Puerto

Rican

population

in

the

country40,

concentrated

mostly

in

Lorain

andCleveland.ItcouldbethatOhiosDACAapplicationratelagsthenationalrateatleastpartiallydue

tothediversityofOhiosimmigrantpopulation.Large,wellestablishedandethnicallyhomogenous

immigrantnotsimplyHispanic communitieslikethoseofMexicansinCaliforniacouldprovidean

easierstructureforawarenessofDeferredActionanditsapplicationstepsthanthesmaller,more

diverseandmoreisolatedcommunitiesofOhioimmigrants.

6. WhatdoesDACAmeanforOhio?

DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivalscreatedanewcategoryofOhioans.Thesearenoncitizens,non

permanentresidentsthatalsoarenotquiteundocumentedimmigrants,asthetermistraditionally

applied,anymore.Ohiolawislargelywellestablishedregardingitsundocumentedimmigrant

population.Ohiocitizensare,generallyspeaking,eligibleformoststatebenefitsinOhio.Undocumented

immigrants,withveryfewexceptions,arenoteligibleforstatebenefits.TheycannotapplyorOhiodriverslicenses,unemploymentbenefits,residencyfortuitionpurposes,professionallicensesfrom

stateboardsorotherstatebenefits.Thechallengeforthestateisindecidinghowtotreattheseyoung

peoplethathavebeenapprovedforDACA.Willtheybeeligibleforsomestatebenefits,ascitizensand

lawfulpermanentresidentsare?OrwilltheyremainineligibleforstatebenefitsunderOhiolaw?Inthe

yearsince

DACAs

inception,

this

question

has

come

to

the

forefront

with

two

specific

Ohio

benefits:

driverslicensesandresidencyforinstatetuitioninhighereducationandisnearingresolutionwitha

third professionallicensure.

DriversLicensesforDACARecipients?ShortlyafterUSCISbeganapprovingDACAapplicationsinlate2012,manyyoungOhioimmigrantsthat

hadbeenapprovedfortheprogramtooktheirEADstotheirlocalbranchesoftheOhioBureauofMotor

Vehicles.TheysoughtOhiodriverslicenses,whichpreviouslyhadbeenabenefitdeniedto

undocumentedimmigrants.TheresponsetheyreceivedatBMVbranchesaroundthestatevariedwildly,

and

it

wasnt

until

the

end

of

March

that

the

Bureau

of

Motor

Vehicles

issues

a

statewide

directive

on

issuinglicensestoDACArecipients.

TheBureauofMotorVehiclesrequiresaSocialSecurityNumber(SSN),amongotheridentification

documentation,forapplicantstobeeligibleforOhiodriverslicenses.PriortoDeferredActionfor

382010U.S.Census,AmericanCommunitySurvey,U.S.CensusBureau.39Id.40Id.


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DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals Month

Aug12* Sep12 Oct12 Nov12 Dec12 Jan13 Feb13 Mar13 Apr13Accepted 48,051 104,369 112,656 71,108 44,815 31,028 30,251 29,689 25,950

Intake Rejected 1,909 3,463 3,566 2,385 1,571 1,378 1,288 1,261 1,157Totalreceived 49,960 107,832 116,222 73,493 46,386 32,406 31,539 30,950 27,107Averageaccepted/day 3,696 5,493 5,121 3,555 2,241 1,478 1,592 1,414 1,180

Biometrics Scheduled 18,616 105,439 98,430 87,037 42,062 42,678 30,128 32,453 27,064Underreview 0 29,747 106,758 152,244 172,535 153,370 132,093 116,509 100,492

CaseReview Approved 0 1,687 28,100 47,923 48,077 50,198 45,530 46,950 45,169Denied 0 0 6 15 72 162 247 803 1,038

ugustdatafromAugust15August31,2012easenote:Thereportreflectsthemostuptodateestimateavailableatetimethereportisgenerated.taQueried:September10,2013ReportCreated:September11,2013terange:August15,2012August31,2013stems:BiometricsCaptureSystems,CISConsolidatedOperationalpository(CISCOR)CISOfficeofPerformanceandQuality(OPQ)

BeginninginApril2013,theDeferredActionforChildmonthcycle.Inaddition,beginningwiththeApril2013r


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DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals

TopCountriesofOrigin AcceptedtoDate ApprovedtoDateMEXICO 433,318 350,056

ELSALVADOR 21,638 16,950HONDURAS 14,608 10,719GUATEMALA 14,234 10,720SOUTHKOREA 7,504 6,760

PERU 7,374 6,360BRAZIL 6,136 4,985

COLOMBIA 5,622 4,616ECUADOR 5,386 4,454PHILIPPINES 3,682 3,203ARGENTINA 3,431 2,885JAMAICA 2,998 2,024INDIA 2,870 2,331

VENEZUELA 2,532 2,005DOMINICANREPUBLIC 2,374 1,751TRINIDADANDTOBAGO 2,246 1,655

BOLIVIA 1,672 1,422COSTARICA 1,660 1,376URUGUAY 1,564 1,288PAKISTAN 1,459 1,133

Residence AcceptedtoDate ApprovedtoDateCALIFORNIA 161,624 134,857TEXAS 93,277 72,408ILLINOIS 31,404 27,469NEWYORK 30,160 23,265FLORIDA 23,988 17,673ARIZONA 20,252 16,733

NORTHCAROLINA 19,876 15,989GEORGIA 18,497 14,433NEWJERSEY 16,407 13,530COLORADO 12,520 9,487WASHINGTON 12,129 9,557NEVADA 9,274 7,168VIRGINIA 9,029 7,083OREGON 8,029 6,660MARYLAND 7,266 5,801INDIANA 7,079 5,451UTAH 6,764 5,405

MASSACHUSETTS 6,053 4,540TENNESSEE 5,779 4,276WISCONSIN 5,262 4,182KANSAS 4,941 3,919

OKLAHOMA 4,783 3,893SOUTHCAROLINA 4,674 3,786

MICHIGAN 4,482 3,480MINNESOTA 4,468 3,534NEWMEXICO 4,217 3,089PENNSYLVANIA 4,045 3,110

Residenc

ARKANSA

CONNECTIC

OHIOALABAM

MISSOUR

NEBRASK

IDAHOKENTUCK

IOWALOUISIAN

MISSISSIP

DELAWAR

RHODEISLADISTRICTOFCO

WYOMIN

NEWHAMPSHAWAII

SOUTHDAKPUERTORIWESTVIRGVIRGINISLA

ALASKA

NORTHDAKMAINE

MONTAN

NOTREPORGUAM

*AllfieldswithlessthantenorablankinthestatefPleasenote:Thereportreflectsthemostuptodateestimateavailableatthetimethereportisgenerated.DataQueried:September10,2013ReportCreated:September11,2013Daterange:August15,2012August31,2013Systems:CISConsolidatedOperationalRepository(CISCOR)USCISOfficeofPerformanceandQuality(OPQ)


18/35

ChildhoodArrivals,thelackofaSocialSecurityNumberpreventedyoungundocumentedimmigrants

fromobtainingOhiolicenses.Withapprovalfortheprogram,however,applicantsreceiveanEADand

eligibilitytoapplyforaSocialSecurityNumber,rectifyingthis.

Initially,individual

branches

denied

or

issued

licenses

to

these

new

applicants

at

their

own

local

discretion.TheCommissionknowsanecdotally,forexample,thatbranchesinClevelandandCincinnati

werenotissuinglicenseswhilebranchesinToledowere.SomebranchesinColumbusissuedlicenses

andsomerefused.Thisconfusionpromptedadvocacyfromtheimmigrantcommunityleadershipfora

statewidepolicydeclaringthatDACArecipientsbeeligibletoreceiveOhiodriverslicenses.OnMarch

29,2013theOhioBureauofMotorVehiclesannouncedthatDACArecipientswouldbeeligibleforOhio

driverslicensesaftersubmittingtoafinalidentityverificationstepwithnationalimmigrationdatabases.

TheselicensesarenonrenewableandexpirewitharecipientsDACAstatus.Whentheyoung

immigrantsDeferredActionstatusisreapproved,heorshecanobtainanotherlicensefromtheBMV.

Most

DACA

approved

students

still

cannot

obtain

their

licenses

as

minors.

The

information

that

the

BMVrequiresfromparentsofminorsseekinglicensesagovernmentissuedID isnottypically

availableforthosewithundocumentedparents41,andthevastmajorityofDACArecipientshaveparents

thatarealsoundocumentedimmigrants.Asitstands,DACAapplicantsgenerallymustwaituntilthey

reachtheageof18tosuccessfullyapplyforanOhiolicense.

DriversLicenses:PotentialLegislationOhiojoinsnearlyeveryotherstateinthecountryindecidingtograntlicensestoDACArecipients.They

remainineligibleforlicensesonlyinArizonaandNebraska42.Proponentsofthesepoliciesnotethat,in

mostcases,theSSNandEADareallthestaterequirestograntlicenses,andthatthenaturalresponse

shouldhave

been

to

grant

licenses

to

this

new

group

that

had

the

requisite

documents.

Others

argued

thatwithworkauthorizations,theywillrequiretransportation,andthatitwasfarbettertotrainthem

andensuretheircompetencebehindthewheelthantoriskuntraineddriversusingOhiosroads.

OpponentsofgrantingDACArecipientslicensesareconcernedaboutseveralimplicationsforthe

programprimarilythepotentialcostofgrantingtheselicensesandtheprincipleofstatesovereignty.

Intheirview,theStateofOhioshoulddecidetowhomitwillgrantlicenses,andoughtnotfollowthe

federalgovernmentscreationofanewclassofimmigrant.Likewisetherearestudiesthatoutlinethe

annualcostsofundocumentedimmigrantstotheStateandtoOhiotaxpayers,andnotethatgranting

statebenefitstoDACArecipientsislikelyonlytoencouragefurtherimmigrationbyundocumented

people.While

such

apolicy

could

indeed

engender

migration

of

DACA

recipients

from

other

states

that

denythemdriverslicenses,onlytwosuchstatesexistArizonaandNebraskaandforpotential

migrantDACArecipientsinthosestates,Ohioisageographicallyremotedestination.Further,because

DACAeligibilityrestsonpresenceintheUnitedStatesonJune15th,2007,thepoolofthoseeligiblefor

41CalltoOhioBureauofMotorVehiclesDriversLicenseInformationCenter,10/30/13.42OverviewTableofStateDriversLicenseRequirementsforIndividualsGrantedDeferredActionUndertheDeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals(DACA)Policy,NationalImmigrationLawCenter,April2013.


19/35

theprogramisfinite,anddoesnotincludeundocumentedimmigrantsthathavearrivedintheU.S.

recently.

HouseBill114,introducedbyRepresentativeMattLynch43

waswrittenasadirectresponsetothe

BMVspolicy

announcement,

and

restricts

eligibility

for

Ohio

licenses

to

certain

delineated

groups

of

noncitizens,excludingrecipientsofDeferredAction.HearingsforHouseBill114tookplacebeforethe

HouseTransportation,PublicSafetyandHomelandSecurityCommitteeduringthisspringssession.On

theoppositeside,twobillsarependingbeforethelegislaturethatwouldspecificallycodifythatDACA

recipientsareeligibletoreceiveOhiodriverslicensesSenateBill62,fromSenateMinorityLeader

KearneyandSenatorsTavaresandLehner,andHouseBill155fromHouseAssistantMinorityWhip

RamosandRepresentativeReece44.ThesebillswerereferredtotheSenateStateGovernmentOversight

andReformCommitteeandtheHouseTransportation,PublicSafetyandHomelandSecurityCommittee,

respectively.ThelattercommitteealsoheardsponsortestimonyfromRepresentativesReeceand

Ramosontheirbill.

Insum,thequestionofwhetherornotDACAgranteesareeligibleforOhiolicenseshaslargelybeen

solvedadministratively.Pendinglegislationmayaltertheireligibilityeithertowardeasieraccessto

licensesbycodifyingeligibilityspecificallyorstreamliningtheprocessforminors,oritmayinstead

alterOhiolawtodenythemeligibility.ItwillbeuptotheGeneralAssemblytodecidethewisestcourse

forOhio,butcurrentlawandpolicyallowDACArecipientstoreceiveOhiodriverslicenses.

InStateTuitionforDACArecipients?

WhileOhiowasweighingwhetherornottograntlicensestoDACArecipients,asecondquestion

materializedregardingtheinteractionofDeferredActionandOhiolaw.Manysoughtarulingon

whetherthese

young

people

would

be

eligible

to

be

classified

as

Ohio

residents

for

the

purposes

of

calculatingtuitionatOhiopubliccollegesanduniversities.PriortotheadventofDeferredAction,Ohios

publicinstitutionsofhighereducationeitherdeclinedtoadmitundocumentedstudentsoutright,or

chargedundocumentedstudentsinternationalstudenttuitionratesoftenatdoubletheinstaterate

ormore45.ThischangedonJuly29

th,whentheOhioBoardofRegentsannouncedthatOhiosDACA

recipientsthatmeettheotherresidencyrequirementswillbeeligibletobeclassifiedasOhioresidents

andpayinstatetuition.

ThequestionarisesfromapplyingextantOhiolawtoDACArecipients.Residencydetermination

guidelinesarefoundinOhioRevisedCode3333.3146.Thestatutestatesthatresidencywillbe

determined

according

to

rules

promulgated

by

the

Board

of

Regents,

and

in

fact

grants

the

Chancellor

andtheBoardofRegentsbroadauthorityindeterminingresidency.Thestatutealsonotesthat

43RepresentativeLynchisanexofficioCommissionservingonOCHLAsboard.

44RepresentativeRamosandSenatorTavaresalsoserveasexofficioOCHLACommissioners.

45Seeincludedtableontuitionratesforinstateandinternationalstudents.

46Inthefollowingsection,theOhiostatuteisquotedand,forillustrativepurposes,criticalwordsandphrasesare

emphasized.Notethatallmeansofemphasizingcertainportionsofthetextboldedletters,italicsandunderlines

arenottextuallydifferentiatedintheOhioRevisedCodeorOhioAdministrativeCode.


20/35


21/35

residentdoesnotmeanherewhatitmightmeanincommonusage,orinotherpartsoftherevised

code.Instead,thestatutesays;

Theterm"resident"forthesepurposesshallnotbeequatedwiththedefinitionofthattermasitisemployedelsewhereunderthelawsofthisstateandotherstates,andshallnotcarrywithitanyofthelegalconnotationsappurtenantthereto.Rather,exceptasprovidedindivisions(B)and(D)ofthissection,forsuchpurposes,therulepromulgatedunderthissectionshallhavetheobjectiveofexcludingfromtreatmentasresidentsthosewhoarepresentinthestate

primarilyforthepurposeofattendingastatesupportedorstateassistedinstitutionofhigher

education,andmayprescribepresumptiverules,rebuttableorconclusive,astosuchpurposebaseduponthesourceorsourcesofsupportofthestudent,residencepriortofirstenrollment,evidenceofintentiontoremaininthestateaftercompletionofstudies,orsuchotherfactorsasthechancellordeemsrelevant.47

While

the

statute

provides

broad

authority

to

the

Board

of

Regents,

it

goes

on

to

enumerate

scenarios

inwhichresidencymustormustnotbegranted.Forexample,section(B)grantsresidencytoveterans

andtheirfamiliesiftheveteranhasbeenkilledinactionorwashonorablydischargedbythemilitary

andhasestablisheddomicileinOhiobythebeginningoftheacademicterm.Likewise,anothersection

prohibitstheBoardofRegentsfromdenyingresidencytothespouseordependentchildofanyOhioan

whohasestablisheddomicileinthestateandworksfulltime48.OfparticularinterestforDACA

recipientsinOhioissection(D),theforeverbuckeyeprovision.Sonamedbecauseitprovidesforin

statetuitionforgraduatesofOhiohighschoolsregardlessofwhethertheyhaveleftOhiosincetheir

graduation,thestatutesays49;

(1)The

rules

of

the

chancellor

for

determining

student

residency

shall

grant

residencystatus

to

a

personwho,whilearesidentofthisstateforstatesubsidyandtuitionsurchargepurposes,graduatedfromahighschoolinthisstateorcompletedthefinalyearofinstructionathomeasauthorizedundersection3321.04oftheRevisedCode,ifthepersonenrollsinaninstitutionofhighereducationandestablishesdomicileinthisstate,regardlessofthestudent'sresidencepriortothatenrollment.(2)Therulesofthechancellorfordeterminingstudentresidencyshallnotgrantresidencystatustoanalienifthealienisnotalsoanimmigrantoranonimmigrant.

Finally,ananalysisofthestatuteasitappliestoDACArecipientsrequiressomedefinitions.Thestatute

definesthefollowingterms;

47OhioRev.Code3333.31(A). 48OhioRev.Code3333.31(B)&(C).49OhioRev.Code3333.31(D)1&2.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 29, 2013

OHIO BMV TO BEGIN ISSUING TEMPORARY DRIVER LICENSES TOQUALIFIED DACA GRANTEES

Additional Federal Database Check Will Guard Against Fraud

COLUMBUS Today the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) instructed the

states Deputy Registrars to begin issuing temporary driver licenses to qualified

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees, but only after firstconfirming applicants immigration documents via the U.S. Citizen and ImmigrationServices (USCIS) database. The extra security steps are designed to combat fraud

or the use of counterfeit documents. BMVs decision was established after reviewing

guidance expressed by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine that DACA grantees areeligible for temporary driver licenses under Ohio law.

The BMVs instructions to Deputy Registrars will ensure consistent procedures arefollowed statewide when issuing the temporary licenses. Confirmation of applicants

immigrant documents will be made via the federal governments immigration

database to verify their authenticity. Upon verification of applicants documents theywill be issued a non-renewable/temporary license valid for the time period of their

work authorization issued by USCIS, not to exceed two years.

The federal government allows DACA grantees to work in the U.S. during the two-

year length of their DACA status. Individuals are eligible for DACA status if: they

arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16; have no criminal history; are currently inschool; have graduated from high school or received a general educationdevelopment (GED) certificate; have been honorably discharged from the Coast

Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and are under the age of 31.

Currently 37 other states also issue temporary drivers licenses to DACA grantees.

Ohio is one of the few states to take the extra step of also confirming applicantsimmigration documents through the federal governments database.

To view a summary of the Deputy Registrar directive, click here:

http://www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/save-3-29-13.pdf


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(E)Asusedinthissection50:

(1)"Dependent,""domicile,""institutionofhighereducation,"and"residencyofficer"

havethemeaningsascribedinthechancellor'srulesadoptedunderthissection.

(2)"Alien"meansapersonwhoisnotaUnitedStatescitizenoraUnitedStatesnational.

(3)"Immigrant"meansanalienwhohasbeengrantedtherightbytheUnitedStates

bureauofcitizenshipandimmigrationservicestoresidepermanentlyintheUnited

StatesandtoworkwithoutrestrictionsintheUnitedStates.

(4)"Nonimmigrant"meansanalienwhohasbeengrantedtherightbytheUnitedStatesbureauofcitizenshipandimmigrationservicestoresidetemporarilyintheUnitedStates.

AssectionEsuggests,domicileisdefinedintheattendantOhioAdministrativeCode3333110asa

person'spermanentplaceofabode,solongasthepersonhasthelegalabilityunderfederalandstatelawtoresidepermanentlyatthatabode51.Resident,meanwhile,isdefinedasanypersonwhomaintainsatwelvemonthplaceorplacesofresidenceinOhio,whoisqualifiedasaresidenttovoteinOhioandreceivestatepublicassistance,andwhomaybesubjectedtotaxliabilityundersection5747.02oftheRevisedCode,providedsuchpersonhasnot,withinthetimeprescribedbythisrule,

declaredhimselforherselftobeorallowedhimselforherselftoremainaresidentofanyotherstateor

nationforanyoftheseorotherpurposes.

Thesections

in

the

Ohio

Administrative

Code

flesh

out

the

residency

determination

process,

and

augmenttheBoardofRegentswithsignificantdiscretionandautonomyingrantingresidency.Itis

criticalthattheOhioAdministrativeCodesectionsattendanttotherelevantRevisedCodesectionwere

neverupdatedtoreflecttheforeverbuckeyeprovision.Accordingly,thosesectionsthatconflictwith

thestatutorylanguageareatleastoutdated,andmayperhapsbeinvalid.Alongwiththedefinitionsof

domicileandresidentintheBoardsresidencyrules,theAdministrativeCodesectionenumerates

severalfactorsthattheBoardofRegentscanconsiderindeterminingresidency.Ofparticularnoteare

thefollowingsections52;

(D)Additionalcriteriawhichmaybeconsideredindeterminingresidencymayincludebutarenot

limited

to

the

following:

(1)Criteriaevidencingresidency:

50OhioRevisedCode3333.31(E).

51OhioAdministrativeCode3333110(B)(4).

52OhioAdministrativeCode3333.31(D).


24/35


25/35


26/35

(a)Ifapersonissubjecttotaxliabilityundersection5747.02oftheRevised

Code;

(b)IfapersonqualifiestovoteinOhio;

(c)IfapersoniseligibletoreceiveOhiopublicassistance;

(d)

If

a

person

has

an

Ohio's

driver's

license

and/or

motor

vehicle

registration.

(2)Criteriaevidencinglackofresidency:

(a)Ifapersonisaresidentoforintendstobearesidentofanotherstateor

nationforthepurposeoftaxliability,voting,receiptofpublicassistance,or

studentloanbenefits(ifthestudentqualifiedforthatloanprogrambybeinga

residentofthatstateornation);

(b)Ifapersonisaresidentorintendstobearesidentofanotherstateornation

foranypurposeotherthantaxliability,voting,orreceiptofpublicassistance

(seeparagraph(D)(2)(a)ofthisrule).

(3)ForthepurposeofdeterminingresidencyfortuitionsurchargepurposesatOhio's

stateassistedcollegesanduniversities,anindividual'simmigrationstatuswillnot

precludeanindividualfromobtainingresidentstatusifthatindividualhasthecurrent

legalstatustoremainpermanentlyintheUnitedStates.

InStateTuition:ApplyingOhioLaw

Takeninsum,considerationsfromthestatuteaugmentedbytheadministrativerulescouldbesummed

upasalistoffactorstoconsider,asfollows:

1. WhethertheprospectivestudenthasestablisheddomicileinOhio,meaningaplacewherethepersonhasthelegalrighttoabidepermanentlyatthatabode,and;

2. WhetherthestudenthasgraduatedfromanOhiohighschool,and;3. Whetherthestudentiseitheracitizen,animmigrantoranonimmigrant,and;4. WhetherthestudentqualifiestovoteinOhio,issubjecttoOhiotaxliability,hasanOhio

driverslicenseandqualifiestoreceivepublicassistance,thoseallindicateresidencystatus,

and;

5. WhetherthestudentisinOhiobutplanstobearesidentofanotherstateornationforanyreason,indicatingnonresidentstatus,and;

6. WhetherthestudentisinOhiosolelyforthefinancialbenefitofinstatetuition,whichisthestatedintentoftherulesoftheBoardofRegentsindeterminingresidency toexclude

thosestudents

that

are

and;

7. Inconsideringallofthesefactors,theBoardofRegentshasbroaddiscretiontomakeresidencydeterminations.

Withtheseconfusing,evencontradictoryconsiderationsfordeterminingresidencystatus,itisnosmall

surprisethatcollegesanduniversitiesacrossOhiorespondedmuchasbranchesoftheOhioBureauof

MotorVehiclesdidinthefaceofthedriverslicensecontroversywithconfusion.Priortothe

announcementfromtheBoardofRegentsonJuly29,2013,someschoolsinOhiohadbegun


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implementingadmissionsprotocolstoaccommodateDACAstudentsatinstaterates,whileothers

awaitedadecisionfromtheBoardofRegents.Inallcases,theapplicationofthestatesresidency

guidelinestoDACArecipientswasofcriticalimportance.AsthelawisappliedtoDACArecipientsliving

inOhio,thedeterminationonresidencywassomewhatmurky.

Certainlytheeasiestpathtoresidencyforthesestudentswillfallundertheforeverbuckeyeprovision

installedinthecodeinthebudgetpassedbythe129th

GeneralAssembly.DACArecipientslivinginOhio

mustgraduatefromhighschoolorriskineligibilityfortheprogram.Likewise,itisveryclearfromtheplainmeaningofthestatutethatDACArecipientsqualifyfortheforeverbuckeyeprovisionofthe

statuteasnonimmigrantaliens.DACAisrunthoughUSCIStheUnitedStatesCitizenshipand

ImmigrationServicesasthestatutecontemplates,andDACArecipientsaregrantedatemporarylawful

presenceintheUnitedStates.Finally,asDACAapprovedyoungimmigrantshavelargelygrownupin

Ohio,itisunlikelythattheyharborplanstobearesidentinanotherstateornationanymorethanany

otherOhiocitizenthatgraduateshighschoolandpursueshighereducation.

Establishingdomicile,however,isatrickierquestion.Itinitiallyappears bythequalificationsfoundin

theOhio

Administrative

Code

on

the

definition

of

the

word

domicile

that

DACA

students

may

lack

domicile.DACAstudentsdonothavetheabsolute,permanentrighttoliveintheirOhiohomestheir

statusremainsillegalandthelawfulpresencetheyaregrantedbyDACAlastsonlyfortwoyears,at

whichpointtheymustreapply.Ontheotherhand,theopenended,indefiniterenewabilityofDeferred

ActioncreatesanopportunitytoarguethatDACAdoesgrantthemafunctionallypermanentrighttolive

attheirOhioabodes.Whilethetwoyearperiodsrequirereapplication,andthereisnoguaranteeofre

approval,otherprospectivestudentshavesomethinglessthananabsolutelegalrighttoreside

permanentlyattheirOhioaddresses.Amongtheenumeratedfactorsfavorabletoadeterminationofresidency,DACAstudentscanclaim

some,butnotall,ofthem.Asnotedabove,theyareeligibleforOhiodriverslicenses,andindeedmany

alreadycarry

them.

They

are

also

subject

to

tax

liability,

and

with

their

EADs

will

be

increasingly

likely

to

havelegitimatejobs,ratherthancontinuingtoparticipateintheshadowlabormarketthatissooften

frequentedbyundocumentedimmigrants.Theyarenot,however,qualifiedtovoteinOhio.Only

citizenscanvote,andDACAstatusfallswellshortofcitizenship.Likewise,theydonotqualifyforpublic

assistancebenefits.Forallstateadministeredbenefitsthatrelyonthefederalmeanstestingauging

eligibility,undocumentedimmigrantsincludingDACArecipientsareineligibletoapply53.Whilethe

individualstateshavethepowertoexpandorcontracteligibilityforimmigrantgroups,Ohioisoneof

justfivestatesthatfurtherrestrictsaccesstopublicassistanceforimmigrantsnotablyevenforlawful

permanentresidents(LPRs)54.

Somelawfulpermanentresidents,specificallythosewithatwoyearprobationaryperiod,areauseful

parallel

for

comparison

to

DACA

recipients.

Lawful

permanent

residents

are

immigrants

that

have

appliedfortheirgreencards,whichwillissueafteratwoyearprobationaryperiod,duringwhichthe

individualisgrantedlegalpresenceintheUnitedStatesandaworkpermit.Attheexpirationofthese

twoyears,whichweredesignedtocombatimmigrationfraud,theimmigrantwillbecomeafullLPR.

Theseprobationaryperiodsaremostcommonwithmarriageorbusinessbasedimmigrantvisas.

Recipientsofprobationarylawfulpermanentresidencehavelawfulpresence,asDACArecipientsdo,for

53OverviewofImmigrantEligibilityforFederalPrograms,NationalImmigrationLawCenter,rev.10/2011.54Id.


28/35

OhioBoard of RegentsUniversity System of Ohio

John R. Kasich , GovernorJohn Carey , Chancellor

Memorandum

To: University System of Ohio General Counsels

From: Michelle Chavanne, Assistant General Counsel, Ohio Board of Regents

Date: July 31, 2013

Subject: In-State Tuition Rates/Residency determinations for students under the

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA)

After careful review and consultation with various stakeholders, and upon the advice of the Attorney

General for the State of Ohio, section 3333.31 of the Ohio Revised Code does not preclude a student

with an approved request for deferred action under DACA from being classified a resident of Ohio for

purposes of obtaining an in-state tuition rate at an Ohio public college or university. Therefore, residency

determinations for DACA students are to be evaluated under Administrative Rule 3333-1-10, which sets

forth situations in which a person is a resident under (B)(1) or is deemed a resident under paragraphs

(C) and (E).

The determination process should follow the same procedures that are applied to other students byexamining the length of residence in Ohio, reviewing the criteria evidencing residency and reviewing the

criteria evidencing lack of residency as provided under paragraph (D) of the rule.

Questions may be addressed to Michelle Chavanne, Assistant General Counsel, Ohio Board of Regents,

at 614.644.1988 [email protected].

25 South Front StreetColumbus. Ohio 43215

phone 614.466.6000

fax 614.466.5866

web www.OhioHigherEd.org
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ohiohighered.org/http://www.ohiohighered.org/http://www.ohiohighered.org/mailto:[email protected].


29/35

thosetwoyearsbuttheyalsohavelawfulstatus,whichDACAdoesnotgrant.Lawfulpermanent

residentswouldqualifyasimmigrantsundertheforeverbuckeyeprovision,forexample,ratherthan

nonimmigrants,andmayhavegraduatedfromOhiohighschools,willpaytaxesandwillhavedrivers

licenses.LikeDACArecipientshowever,theycannotvoteandtheymaynotmeettheliteral

requirements

for

domicile

outlined

in

the

Ohio

Administrative

Code.

Also

like

DACA

recipients,

lawful

permanentresidentsduringtheirtwoyearprobationaryperiodarenoteligibleformoststatebenefits

anddonothavearighttoliveattheirOhioabodespermanentlyif,attheendoftheirtwoyearperiod,

USCISdeclinestoremovetheconditionsontheirlawfulpermanentresidency,theylosetheirstatusand

becomeundocumented,justlikeaDACArecipientwhoseapplicationisnotreapproved.

ItsimportanttonoteherethatwhentheOhioAdministrativeCodeisseeminglyatoddswiththeOhio

RevisedCode,thestatutecontrols55.Here,DACAstudentsareeligibleundertheplainmeaningofthe

statuteintheOhioRevisedCode.WhiletheOhioAdministrativeCodemakesthequestionofresidency

lessclear,thoseruleswereneverupdatedtoreflectthechangeswiththeforeverbuckeyeprovision.

Whenstatuteconflictswithattendantadministrativeregulations,thestatuteprevails,andthe

administrativelawprovisionsarevoid.

ComparingDACAstudentstoLPRstudentsisuseful.Withoutexception,lawfulpermanentresidents

livingintheStateofOhioeveniftheirLPRstatusispresentlyprobationarypayinstateratesto

attendOhiospublicschools.Thisisaclassofimmigrantsthatcannotvote,andhasatenuousclaimto

domicileasitisdefinedintheOACexactlylikeDACArecipients.Inthiscontext,itbecomeseasierto

seewhytheBoardofRegentsmighthavetakenthecoursetheydid.Theymayhavenotedthatthe

qualifiedvoterrequirementwasnotalwaysfollowedinresidencydeterminations,andthatdomicilefor

LPRswasmurkyaswell.DACAstudentscloselymirrorconditionallawfulpermanentresidents,andthe

Boardfoundnoreasontotreatthemdifferentlyfortuitionpurposes.Theylikelyalsoconsideredthe

primacyofthestatuteovertheadministrativeregulationsastheforeverbuckeyeclauseinthe

statutemandatesadeterminationofresidencyforDACArecipients,andthequestionsarisefromthe

administrativerules

most

notably

on

domicile

and

eligibility

to

vote.

AlsoofnoteisthepolicybehindtheBoardsrulesasstatedinthestatutetheruleswereintendedto

excludefromresidencythosethatwereinOhiosolelytoattendschool.ApercentageofDACArecipients

dontevenspeaktheirnativelanguages.ManyhavelivedmostoftheirlivesinOhio.Asagroup,theydo

notfittheprofileofthosethatthestatuteisdesignedtoexcludefromresidency.More,advisory

opinionsfromAttorneyGeneralDeWinesofficeindicatedthatDACAstudentswereinfacteligiblefor

instatetuitionunderOhiolaw.Finally,thestatuteiswrittentograntsignificantauthorityfortheBoard

ofRegentstomakeandexecuteitsownrulesondeterminingresidency.TheBoardhasdonesohere,

andhasruledthatDACArecipientsareeligibleforinstatetuition.

InState

Tuition:

Financials

for

DACA

Recipients

and

Ohio

PriortotheBoardsruling,highereducationwasnotareasonableoptionforthegreatmajorityofOhios

DACAeligiblepopulation.Theywerecharged,iftheywereadmittedatall,outofstateorinternational

tuitionratesatOhioschools.AmongallOhiopublicinstitutionsofhigherlearning 22community

55Texasv.UnitedStates,497F.3d491(5thCir.Tex.2007).


30/35

collegesand13fouryearinstitutionsannualtuitionforoutofstateorinternationalstudentsis99%

higherthaninstaterates.Thisaveragesanadditionalalmost$6,300peryearintuitionsurcharges56.At

someschoolsitsevenhigherColumbusStatechargesinternationalstudents166%more,andOhio

Statechargesinternationalstudents167%more.Toputcollegeevenfurtherfromplausibility,DACA

recipients

remain

ineligible

for

federal

and

state

financial

aid.

With

no

loans

or

public

scholarships

availabletothem,andforcedtopayoutofstateorinternationaltuition,collegesimplywasnotpossible

formanyOhioanswithDeferredAction.

ItisdifficulttoquantifythefiscalimpactoftheBoardsdecisionforOhio.Subsidizingthedegreesthat

DACArecipientswillearnthroughtheprovisionofthestateshareofinstruction(SSI),willrequiresome

taxpayerresources.Theaveragedifferencebetweeninstatetuitionandoutofstateorinternational

tuitionatOhiospublicinstitutionsofhigherlearningis$6,298.43peryear,butafterthatthevariables

arefarmorenebulous.Forexample,thevariationinestimatesonthesizeofOhiosDACAeligible

populationwillmakeanyattemptedmathsuspectthebestandonlyestimate,fromMPI,isbetween

10,000and20,000potentialapplicants.Second,itwouldbeimpossibletocomputeanaccuratecollege

attendancerateforDACAstudents.Iftheiragesarespreadoutevenlybetweentheyoungestatsix

yearsoldandtheoldestat31,abouthalfofthemarealreadyoutofhighschoolandpastthecritical

timeintheirliveswhenmostyoungpeopledecidewhetherornottogotocollege.Itsalsodifficultto

judgecollegeenrollmenttrendsinthecomingyears.Moreandmorestudentsarechoosingtwoyear

institutions,forexample,whichhavemuchsmallerdifferences(indollars)betweeninstateandoutof

statetuitionrates.Finally,theresnowaytoaccuratelyjudgecollegetuitionratesandSSIvalues16

yearsfromnow.AstheyoungestDACAeligibleOhioansaresixyearsold(becausetheymusthavebeen

presentintheU.S.in2007),thecostinsubsidizededucationforDACAeligibleOhioanswillbeborne

overthenext1620yearsorso.

Furthercloudingthedeterminationoffiscalimpact,therealsowillbesomeeconomicbenefittothe

state.Ohio

taxpayers

that

are

productive

and

employed

are

very

valuable

to

the

states

economy

not

justinrevenueforthestatebutinhelpingtocreateandmaintainbusinesssustainingmarkets.DACA

approvedOhioanswilllikelypaymoreintaxesthantheirundocumentedpeerswho,whiletheydopay

sometaxes,aremorelikelytobeemployedunderthetable,andthereforelesslikelytopaytaxesasa

group.DACArecipientswillhaveworkpermitsand,therefore,willbemuchmorelikelytohave

legitimateemployment.Theirundocumentedfriendsandfamilieswilllikelycontinuetobeemployed

56SeeincludedtableonOhioschooltuitionrates.


31/35

Institution AnnualInStateTuition AnnualInternationalTuit

TheUniversityofAkron $9,734.40 $18,783.60

KentState

University $9,816 $17,776

ClevelandStateUniversity $9,448.80 $12,628.32*

YoungstownStateUniversity $7,899.36 $13,899.36

ShawneeStateUniversity $6,876.24 $11,990.16

MiamiUniversity $13,266 $29,056

TheUniversityofCincinnati $10,784 $25,816

TheUniversityofToledo $7,863.84 $16,983.84

BowlingGreenStateUniversity $10,606 $17,914

WrightStateUniversity $8,542 $16,546

OhioUniversity $10,380 $19,344

TheOhioStateUniversity $10,010 $26,776

CentralState

University $6,058.00 $13,510.00

Averages FourYearSchools $9,242.05 $19,032.91

*Fornontransferstudents.Rateishigherfortransferstudents


32/35

CommunityColleges** AnnualInStateTuition*** AnnualInternationalTuitio

BelmontCollege $2,448 $4,872

CentralOhioTechnicalCollege $4,296 $7,056

CincinnatiStateTechnicalandCommunityCollege $3,487.20 $6,974.40

ClarkState

Community

College $3,264 $6,096

ColumbusStateCommunityCollege $3,182.40 $8,458.32

CuyahogaCommunityCollege $3,082.56 $5,894.16

EasternGatewayCommunityCollege $2,736 $4,176

EdisonCommunityCollege $3,294.96 $6,102.72

HockingCollege $4,290 $8,580

LakelandCommunityCollege $3,148.80 $6,858

LorainCountyCommunityCollege $3,284.40 $6,516

MarionTechnicalCollege $3,984 $5,904

NothCentralStateCollege $3,114 $6,228

NorthwestStateCommunityCollege $3,504 $6,864

OwensCommunity

College $3,590.40 $6,808.80

RhodesStateCollege $3,764.64 $8,281.28

RioGrandeCommunityCollege $4,117.92 $20,510****

SinclairCommunityCollege $2,707 $5,353

SouthernStateCommunityCollege $4,088 $7,706

StarkStateCollege $3,606.00 $5,790

TerraCommunityCollege $3,845 $4,813

WashingtonStateCommunityCollege $3,264 $6,528

Average CommunityColleges $3,464 $6,470

**ManycommunitycollegesofferdiscountsforresidentsofcertaincountiesinOhio.Thosediscountsarenotinclude

***Forstudents

taking

two

semesters

with

12

credit

hours

****OutofstatestudentscanonlyapplyatRioGrandeUniversity,aprivateschool

Average AllOhioPublicSchools $6,353.03 $12,751.46


33/35

underthetable,andsubjectedtoworkplaceabuse,intheshadowlabormarket.More,Ohioalready

spendsthousands,ifnotmillions,toeducateDACAeligibleundocumentedstudentsinK12education.

Thestateisrequiredtoprovidefreeprimaryandsecondarypubliceducationunderadecisionofthe

U.S.SupremeCourtinPlylerv.Doe.57Whenthesestudentschoosetoliveinotherstateswhichprovidebetter

opportunities

to

young

immigrants,

Ohio

loses

both

bright

young

leaders

and

the

significant

dollarsithasinvestedintheireducation.ByprovidinginstatetuitiontoDACArecipients,Ohiois

investinginagroupofyoungpeoplewhowillbemoreaffluentandmuchmorelikelytoremaininOhio

ifthestateaidstheireducation.Withuncertaincostsoffsetbyuncertainfinancialboons,determining

soundstatepolicyontreatingitsyoungimmigrantpopulationisdifficult.

Statesalloverthecountryarewrestlingwithsimilardecisions.Whiletheoverwhelmingmajoritygrant

driverslicensestoDACArecipients,farfewerhaveannouncedthatDACAstudentswillbegrantedin

statetuition.Presently,16statesgrantinstatetuitiontoallundocumentedstudents.58Thosestatesare:California,Colorado,Connecticut,Illinois,Kansas,Maryland,Minnesota,Nebraska,NewMexico,

NewYork,Oklahoma,Oregon,RhodeIsland,Texas,Utah,andWashington59.Amongthese16,California

andTexaswhichhavethelargestpopulationsofundocumentedimmigrants werethefirsttoinstitute

thispolicy.

Ohio

is

not

among

them.

Ohio

only

grants

in

state

tuition

to

asmall

subset

of

the

states

undocumentedstudentpopulationthosethathaveappliedforandreceivedDeferredActionwhile

these16statesgrantinstatetuitiontoallundocumentedimmigrantstudents.Typically,thesepolicies

requiretheprospectivestudenttocompleteagivennumberofyearsatastatehighschool,tograduate

andtosignanaffidavitindicatingtheirintentiontofileforlegalimmigrationstatusassoonasis

possible60.InMarylandscase,undocumentedimmigrantsareeligibleforinstatetuitiononlyat

communitycolleges.

Afewstatesexplicitlydenyinstatetuitiontoundocumentedstudents.Arizona,GeorgiaandIndianaall

explicitlyprohibitundocumentedimmigrantsfrompayinginstatetuitionrates.InIndianascase,

prospectivestudentsmustbelegallypresenttoreceiveinstatetuitionbenefits.Thisisequivalentto

Ohioscurrent

policy

only

DACA

grantees,

who

are

legally

present,

receive

in

state

tuition,

but

not

undocumentedimmigrantsasawhole.Twostatesgoevenfurther.InAlabamaandSouthCarolina,

undocumentedstudentsaredeniedadmissiontostateinstitutionsofhigherlearningtheycannot

attend,eveniftheyweretopayinternationaltuitionrates.Notably,thesearefiveofthesixstates,

alongwithUtah,thatenactedlawssimilartoArizonasSB1070.MostoftheprovisionsinSB1070were

invalidatedbytheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates,butprovisionsallowingstateandlocallaw

enforcementtoinvestigateimmigrationstatuswereupheld,pendingreviewandelucidationbythe

statesowncourts61.

InStateTuition:PotentialLegislation

Inthis

context

of

confusion,

but

with

state

law

indicating

eligibility,

the

Ohio

Commission

on

Hispanic/LatinoAffairsissuedaresolutionontheissueonMay7,2013.TheresolutioncallsontheOhio

BoardofRegentsandOhioinstitutionsofhighereducationtoadmitDACArecipientsatinstateratesin

57Plylerv.Doe,457U.S.202,June1982.

58NationalConferenceofStateLegislators,July2013.59Id.60Id.61Arizonav.UnitedStates,132S.Ct.2492,183.June2012.


34/35

tel 614.466.8333

fax 614.995.0896http://ochla.ohio.gov

Riffe Center ~ 18th Floor

77 South High StreetColumbus, Ohio 43215-6108

John Kasich, Governor

Lilleana Cavanaugh, MBA, Director

Latino Affa

Commissio

2013~201436th Board of

Commissioners

Michael Florez, Chair

Cincinnati

Isabel Framer, Vice Ch

Copley

Rev. Max Rodas

Cleveland

Richard Romero

Lorain

Mary Santiago

Lorain

Luis Tony Ortiz

Dayton

V. Anthony Simms-Ho

Cincinnati

Baldemar VelasquezToledo

Dan Ramos

State Representative

56th District ~ Lorain C

Christina Hagan

State Representative

50th District ~ Stark Co

Gayle ManningState Senator

13th District ~ Huron, L

Charleta Tavares

State Senator

15th District ~ Franklin

Resolution No. 2013-01on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, 5/7/2013__________________________________________________________________________________________________

WHEREAS

the June 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy announced by the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security provides temporary lawful presence and work permits to thousands of young Ohio immi-grants, and;

WHEREASunder the current Ohio Revised Code 3333.31 and Ohio Administrative Code3333110, DACArecipients qualify as nonimmigrantaliens- residents for tuition subsidy and surcharge purposes, and

WHEREASthere are approximately 1,555 recipients of DACA living in in Ohio (1), and;

WHEREASmore than 85% of young immigrants eligible for DACA are Latinos (2), and;

WHEREASOhio public institutions of higher learning do not presently grant in-state tuition to recipients ofDACA, and;

WHEREASthose Ohio colleges and universities that admit DACA students admit them as international stu-

dents, whose tuition rates are typically two-or-three-times higher than rates for in-state students (3), and;

WHEREASthis failure to comply with Ohio law is harming Ohio Latinos by making higher education finan-cially impossible for them, and;

WHEREASthis has caused many of the states brightest young people to look for education and employmentoutside the state of Ohio, and;

WHEREASthe state of Ohio has already invested thousands of dollars into the primary and secondary educa-tion of these same students, and;

WHEREAS, the flow of bright young Ohio graduates out of the state to pursue higher education elsewhereharms Ohios economic, educational and workforce development, and;

WHEREASthis brain drain results in a loss for the state of thousands of dollars invested in the education of

each one of these students, and

WHEREASthe Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs is statutorily obligated to advise state govern-ment on particular issues impacting Ohio Latinos (4); therefore be it

RESOLVED THAT:

The Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs calls upon the Ohio Board of Regents and Ohios public insti-tutions of higher learning to work with recipients of DACA to comply fully with state and federal law and grantDACA recipients that have graduated from Ohio schools residency for purposes of in-state tuition. This shouldbe done in order to maximize Ohios return on investment, to augment Ohios economic recovery by keepingsome of our brightest young minds in Ohio, and to uphold the principles of fairness and justice.

1USCIS Monthly Report, April 10 20132Up to 1.7 million unauthorized immigrant youth may benefit from new deportation rules, Pew Hispanic Center, August 14 20123See, e.g. Tuition and Fees for the 2012-2013 academic year at the Ohio State University, Columbus State Community College 4O.R.C. 121.32


35/35

accordancewithstateandfederallaw.Sincethatresolutionwaspassed,theBoardofRegentshas

adoptedthispolicybut,likethequestionofdriverslicenses,theissueisnotyetwellsettled.HouseBill

254introducedbyRepresentativesLynchandWetherford wasintroducedinAugust2013,andwould

specificallydelineatethosecategoriesofnoncitizensthatwouldbeeligibleforinstatetuitionrates,

excluding

DACA

recipients.

This

legislation

is

functionally

similar

to

the

legislation

introduced

on

drivers

licenses,andhasbeenreferredforconsiderationbytheHouseEducationCommittee.

7. ConclusionALookAhead

Controversiessurroundingdriverslicensesandcollegetuitionforthisnewcategoryofimmigrantsare

likelyonlypartofthereconciliationOhiofaces.TheDeferredActionprogramcreated,almostovernight,

anewcategoryofOhioanthatextantOhiolawhadnotcontemplated.Theimplicationsareverybroad,

andthepolicydebateontheseandotherquestionsregardingthestatestreatmentofDACArecipients

willlikelycontinue.

ThenextissuetocreatequestionsabouthowDACAfitswithstatelawprobablyconcernsprofessional

licensure.Ohiosboardsandcommissionsthatgrantprofessionallicensesareeachguidedbystatutory

eligibilityguidelines.Federallawwillalsolikelyplayaroleinthisdebate.GovernorKasichs

administrationisactivelyexaminingthesestatutes,andthetopicisbeyondthepurviewofthisreportas

ithasnotyetbeenresolved.OCHLAwillissueafollowuptothisreportonceaninitialadministrativeor

legislativeresolutionhasbeenreached.

ItisalsonotclearthatDACAisapermanentsolution,orthatthequestionofimmigrationreformhas

beensettledinWashington.Whileimmigrationreformhasstalledatthefederallevel,pressurefor

reformismaintainingintensity.Forexample,eightmembersofCongresswerearrestedinOctoberfor

participatinginanimmigrationrallyonthenationalmallearlierthismonth.62

Fornow,however,

DeferredActionmayremainarealityfortheStateofOhiofortheforeseeablefuture.

Tothatend,theOhioLatinoAffairsCommissionispreparedtoconductresearchorprovideclarification

onthisissueuponanylegislatorsrequest.TheCommissionstandsreadytorespondtoitsstatutory

mandatetoadviselegislatorsandOhiosgovernmentoncriticalissuesthatimpactHispanicOhioans.

62

2013 ohio latino community report for the 130th general assembly deferred action for childhood...

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