On May 8th, 2019 the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives passed the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act (RISE Act). The RISE Act aims to make state funded financial aid and scholarships available to more marginalized college students. Specifically, the act permits undocumented students (along with transgender students who have not registered for Selective Service and students who do not complete 75 credit hours before their junior year) to receive financial assistance in Illinois. This assistance can come from both the state of Illinois itself and/or any public college or university within Illinois. Without the passage of this act, students with no lawful immigration status, including DACA recipients, would remain unable to apply for state financial aid.
On June 6th, 2019 the RISE act was sent to Governor Pritzker’s desk. If signed into law, the RISE act would make higher education more accessible to thousands of young immigrants in Illinois.
