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Democrat lawmakers want in-state tuition for immigrant students

Sascha Cordner

Several Democratic lawmakers gathered at the Capitol Wednesday to garner support for a bill that would grant in-state tuition to undocumented students if they meet certain conditions. Sascha Cordner has more.

Representative Dwight Bullard and Senator Gary Siplin were joined by parents and students from the Florida Immigrant Coalition, including Evelyn Rivera. Originally from Colombia, she moved with her family to Orlando at three years old, and has lived in Central Florida for 20 years. But, her undocumented status still causes her a lot of problems, like making her pay out-of-state tuition.

“I’ve had the privilege of attending amazing public schools here, and then my senior year, I earned the Bright Futures scholarship that I was unable to claim because of my undocumented status. This past semester, I actually had to stop my education because I just could not afford the prices  it’s not something that my parents can afford as well.”

Both House Bill 81 and Senate Bill 106 have yet to be heard in any committees. SOC

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.