A “collective led by immigrant students and alumni from the University of Texas at Austin” has decried the elimination of a program catering to unlawful migrants attending school there.
UT officials are receiving pushback after doing away with an initiative they considered a violation of the state’s recent ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at state-funded institutions of higher education.
Launched in 2016 by an alum, the Monarch program aimed to support and provide resources for unlawful migrants studying at the school and included a scholarship dispensing between $500 and $1,000 a year.
The move is being challenged by a group called “Rooted,” which is looking to “advocate for and provide support, resources, and research for students who are undocumented, have temporary status, and/or are from mixed-status families,” according to the organization’s website.
“The Monarch program did not implement any race or gender-based programming,” the group claimed in a statement posted on social media in late January. “Immigrants are not a single racial or ethnic group.”
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, DEI programs at public universities were prohibited by SB 17, which forbids the “differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.” It came into effect on January 1, although many institutions began making changes well in advance. Some universities have been called out for allegedly flouting state law by simply rebranding their DEI initiatives.
While those opposed to the law have suggested that students of color would be negatively impacted, such as state Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City), those in support, such as Gov. Greg Abbott, have suggested that DEI initiatives violate federal and state laws.
Citing compliance with SB 17 and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, UT officials announced the end of the Monarch program on January 10, which Rooted alleged did not provide adequate notice.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 is a federal law that states that “an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible … for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit.”
Rooted has launched a petition and a fundraising drive to see the Monarch program reinstated.
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