Related videos:
The Florida Board of Education approved two new rules this Wednesday that will prevent undocumented immigrants from enrolling in the state's 28 public colleges and in state adult education programs, a decision that could affect thousands of young people each year who graduate from high school in Florida without regular immigration status.
The regulations, adopted during a virtual meeting, require applicants to provide "clear and convincing" documentation proving they are U.S. citizens or that they are legally present in the country in order to gain access to these institutions, which offer technical careers, professional programs, and four-year degrees, as reported by the agency Efe.
The second provision expands this restriction to public adult education programs, including preparation courses for obtaining the General Educational Development (GED) diploma and English classes for speakers of other languages (ESOL).
According to estimates mentioned during the debate, the measure will affect approximately 8,000 undocumented students who graduate from Florida high schools each year and who until now could continue their studies at state colleges.
The approval of the regulations was marked by criticism from civil organizations, which claimed that a significant portion of public interventions were not heard prior to the vote.
Florida Student Power stated that dozens of students, residents, and business owners participated by phone to express their opposition to the new restrictions, although the public comment period ended before everyone could contribute.
Farah Al Jallad, organizer of Justice for Migrants from that organization, described the decision as "a clear disregard for the voice of Floridians and a direct abandonment of our democratic values."
During the hearing, Alexander V., a student at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and a DACA beneficiary, spoke about how starting his studies at a state college was the only financially viable option for eventually accessing university, a possibility that could now disappear for thousands of young people in similar circumstances.
The impact of the measure could also be felt within the educational institutions themselves. An analysis by the Florida Policy Institute estimates that the ban will result in losses nearing 15 million dollars annually in tuition revenue. Miami-Dade College alone would forfeit about 1.8 million dollars, while Palm Beach State College would lose approximately one million.
The new restrictions are part of the tightening of immigration policy initiated by Governor Ron DeSantis. In February 2025, the governor enacted law SB 2C, which eliminated the in-state tuition rate for undocumented students, including DACA beneficiaries, raising their study costs by as much as 300% and affecting around 6,500 students.
The decision made this Wednesday is in addition to another initiative promoted last week by the Florida Board of Governors, which proposes to extend a similar ban to the 12 public universities of the State University System.
That regulation will still need to undergo a 14-day public comment period and be subjected to a final vote scheduled for September. If it takes effect for the 2027-2028 academic year, Florida would become the fourth state in the country—along with Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina—to restrict total or partial access for undocumented students to public higher education.
Filed under: