When it comes to national politics, immigration and the question of what rights to grant undocumented immigrants are flashpoints that yield plenty of conflict but not much in the way of solutions.
In Massachusetts, though, the picture is different, especially recently. Last year, voters approved a ballot question that will allow men and women without legal status get driver's licenses if they can complete the requisite testing and provide proof of identity and residence. And now, a push to let immigrants without permanent legal status pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities is being backed by the state Senate, Gov. Maura Healey and some big stakeholders in the world of higher education.
What's the rationale for the proposed change? What are the arguments against it? And how likely is it to become law when negotiations between the Senate, the governor and the Massachusetts House run their course? Adam Reilly is joined by state Sen. Liz Miranda, who's filed legislation to make the policy a reality, and reporter Jennifer Smith of CommonWealth Magazine, who's been covering the push as it moves forward.
Should all undocumented students be able to pay in-state tuition at Massachusetts' public colleges and universities? Send us an email with your thoughts at TalkingPolitics@wgbh.org, or share them via the Talking Politics page.
You can watch the discussion below right now, or catch the full show at 7 p.m. on GBH 2. Subscribe to the GBH News’ YouTube channel to get alerted to future episodes.
