Virginia

- Wash. Post/MSN, June 21, 2022.

A measure in Virginia’s new two-year budget is drawing criticism for redirecting funding for undocumented college students to students at historically Black colleges and universities in the state.

The money — $10 million over two years — had been earmarked for state financial aid for undocumented immigrants, who are barred from receiving federal student loans and grants. Instead, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) asked the General Assembly to give the money to students at Virginia’s five private and public HBCUs — Virginia University of Lynchburg, along with Hampton, Virginia Union, Norfolk State and Virginia State universities.

“Shame on the governor for weaponizing state financial aid as a cheap political ploy to divide communities of color,” said Sookyung Oh, director of Hamkae Center, a civil rights organization in Virginia. “If education was important to this governor, as he claimed throughout his campaign, he could have easily allocated funding to ensure every young Virginian who wants to pursue higher education in the Commonwealth has the resources to do so.”

Critics of the measure say it perpetuates a false scarcity problem at a time when Virginia has a budget surplus, and it demands that lawmakers sacrifice one needy group of students for another. “I understand and agree that we need to do something for HBCUs. This is not the way to do it. This is messy,” Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico), head of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, told the House before a vote on the amendment Friday. “We have more than enough resources to help.”...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/virginia-budget-to-move-funding-from-daca-students-to-state-s-hbcus/ar-AAYI8p3