Nathan Brinkman | January 3, 2025
(EdNews Virginia) — Arlington’s Washington-Liberty High School (W-L) is promoting a scholarship exclusively for noncitizens, including those who are “undocumented,” EdNews Virginia has learned.
In a Thursday email from the school’s counseling department, W-L families were informed of a “$4,000 scholarship, renewable for up to five years.” However, this opportunity is closed to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents — only foreign-born students with “undocumented, DACA, TPS, or asylum applicant” status are welcome to apply.
The Virginia-based Dream Project, which awards the scholarships, has a mailing address in Arlington. Several Northern Virginia public officials are involved with the organization. Arlington County Supervisor JD Spain serves on the Dream Project board of directors. Advisory board members include Virginia Senator Barbara Favola, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Arlington School Board Member Cristina Diaz-Torres and Superintendent Francisco Duran.
Arlington’s school board has long advocated for immigration leniency. “As elected leaders, we will continue to urge our national and state leaders to support legislation to protect the rights of our DACA students and immigrant families,” the board collectively vowed in a 2018 written statement.
The school division previously criticized the Trump Administration’s plans for DACA. “Yesterday, during our wonderful beginning to a new school year, the Arlington School Board, Superintendent and Arlington Public Schools staff were dismayed to learn that the Trump Administration had announced their decision to end the program for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, in six months,” a 2017 email to families read.