SANTA FE, N.M. ― Some students say they’re losing out despite a New Mexico law that allows them in-state tuition at public colleges or universities and state-funded financial aid regardless of their immigration status.
The law has been in effect for 11 years but New Mexico’s public universities and colleges operate independently from one another and their policies regarding immigrant students vary.
New Mexico Highlands University imposes some of the toughest barriers, according to interviews conducted by The Santa Fe New Mexican with students and school officials from around the state.
The interviews also indicate some of the problems students encounter may be largely because staff members aren’t informed about the law.
“Sometimes front-line people are not trained in this,” said Armando Bustamante, a student program specialist at the University of New Mexico who helps immigrant students navigate the system.
Bustamante said another problem is that the state Higher Education Department lets each institution interpret the law however it wants.
“The issue with the law is that it’s a simple, two-paragraph law that has no implementation policies,” he said.
