Minneapolis, MN — On Tuesday evening, dozens of immigrant youth leaders, students, and community advocates gathered at COPAL MN’s Minneapolis office with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to denounce a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit that threatens to roll back Minnesota’s Dream Act and North Star Promise Program. If successful, the lawsuit could strip thousands of Minnesota students from affordable college access.
Though the event was intimate, speakers delivered testimonies about how these programs have opened doors to higher education for immigrant and first-generation students. They warned that the DOJ lawsuit could threaten opportunities that thousands of families depend on to pursue affordable college education.
During the press conference, members of COPAL’s Youth Committee presented Attorney General Ellison with a letter of support signed by student leaders and allied organizations. The letter thanked Ellison for his defense of the Minnesota Dream Act and North Star Promise, called the programs “essential to ensuring that undocumented residents, DACA recipients, TPS holders, and other students ineligible for federal financial aid have a fair opportunity to pursue higher education,” and urged the Attorney General to “use every legal and public tool available to protect them.”
“These laws are not acts of charity. They are investments in human potential,” said Edwin Torres DeSantiago, COPAL MN Board Chair. “They tell students like I once was you belong here, and your dreams matter.”
Jordy Guallpa, a Metropolitan State University student and North Star Promise recipient, shared how the scholarship allowed him to continue his finance degree without financial strain. “When we invest in students through programs like North Star Promise, we invest in stronger communities, economic mobility, and a more prosperous Minnesota,” Guallpa said.
Attorney General Keith Ellison reaffirmed the state’s commitment to defending the programs, pledging that Minnesota “should not lead with fear” and encouraging the public to pay attention to the court.
The Minnesota Dream Act, passed in 2013, allows undocumented students to access in-state tuition and state financial aid. The North Star Promise, enacted in 2023, covers remaining tuition costs after other aid, making college tuition-free for many low-income students. Advocates stressed that dismantling these programs would harm Minnesota’s workforce at a time of critical shortages in healthcare, education, and STEM fields.
“This is not just about policy—it’s about power,” said Sabrina Tapia, Latino LEAD policy manager. “For more than a decade, immigrant students have organized for the right to learn, grow, and lead. We will not let that power be erased.”
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COPAL Minnesota is a member-based organization driven to improve the quality of life for Minnesota’s Latine communities. For more information, please visit www.copalmn.org.
Event photos are available at: Flickr link
