By: Piper Hutchinson – Louisiana Illuminator
Noncitizen students in Louisiana could lose access to federal financial aid for workforce education programs, creating funding gaps for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
President Donald Trump’s administration announced this month students without legal status to be in the United States would no longer qualify for student aid.
LCTCS spokesman Chandler LeBouef said approximately 5,700 of its students self-identified as non-citizens on admissions forms. The system cannot determine specifically how many of those students will lose financial assistance under the policy change because their admission forms don’t reflect the student’s immigration status or federal aid eligibility, he added.
The policy that allowed immigrants access to student aid programs such as the Pell Grant and workforce training financial aid programs had been in place since 1997, when former President Bill Clinton’s administration exempted career, technical and adult education programs from provisions in law that limited federal benefits to just U.S. citizens, permanent residents and certain categories of “qualified aliens.”
“The Department will ensure that taxpayer funds are reserved for citizens and individuals who have entered our country through legal means who meet federal eligibility criteria,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a media release announcing the new policy.
LeBouef said the federal policy change will also result in the loss of funding for programs that help students gain literacy skills, job training and professional credentials.
“We may face administrative burdens and funding gaps as we adjust enrollment policies.” he said.