Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez is calling for the end of a law she once pushed that grants undocumented migrants access to in-state tuition.
Núñez announced her change in position on Saturday via her X account.
Florida approved the tuition breaks in 2014. It was a bipartisan effort to help "dreamers" brought to the United States as children, like University of South Florida grad student Diego Dulanto Falcon.
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“I’m honestly very afraid. I don't know what could happen next and I'm very afraid for myself and many other community members,” said Falcon.
In 2014, Núñez urged lawmakers to support the bill, which extended in-state tuition prices to students who attended high school in Florida but were in the country illegally.
“Let’s not hold these children responsible for actions that their parents took. Something they had no control over. Let’s allow for opportunities for all of Florida's children,” Nuñez said in 2014.
Núñez’s shift aligns with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' efforts to repeal the law, calling it an incentive for illegal immigration.
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More than 43,000 students living in the country illegally are in higher education in Florida, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal.
“I’ve been here for over 20 years. I don't have my citizenship, but I was still able to attend school and get an education. That might not be a possibility for other undocumented students like myself and that’s just really sad to see,” said Falcon.
This story was originally published by Rebecca Petit at Scripps News Tampa.
