Lt. Governor Brown Rallys with DREAM Act Supporters at Wheaton High School

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and local leaders celebrated Tuesday at Wheaton High School that the Maryland DREAM Act is now law.

The rally was originally planned for in front of the school, but was moved inside to the media center. Lt. Gov. Brown’s spokesperson, Marc Goldberg, said they did so because of threat of rain.

A small counter protest occurred on the sidewalk near Wheaton High and a women in the crowd at the rally interrupted Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-District 47). 

"They are not citizens, they are not required to apply for citizenship,” she said during a lull in his speech. Ramirez responded by saying, "That's fine, its a democracy," and continuing with his speech (see video). 

The Maryland Dream Act, signed into law by Gov. O’Malley on May 10, allows graduates of Maryland high schools with illegal or undocumented status to receive in-state tuition to community colleges, with the condition that they apply to become a permanent resident 30 days after they are able to do so.

Students must have attended a Maryland high school for at least three years, and either they or their parents must have paid state taxes for three years prior to enrolling.

While a late amendment means the state does not have total updated costs for the law, costs based are expected at $788,000 in fiscal year 2014 and up to $3.5 million in 2016.

Kevin Lowdnes, principal of Wheaton High School, said some students at Wheaton will certainly be able to benefit, but he doesn’t know how many.

“It’s not our policy to ask,” Lowdnes said, “ Our number one mission is the get every student college-ready.” He added that he hopes students who were active in lobbying in Annapolis for the bill will get involved other topics that they care about.

Lowdnes said that some students have gotten discouraged in their senior year when faced with cost of college, and it has negatively affected their academics. He’s also heard both support and opposition for the measure in his own PTSA.

Opponents of the law are to bring the issue to a referendum, and are on track to gain the signatures needed.

Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-District 18), one of the lead sponsors of the DREAM act in the Senate, and who represents the area around Wheaton High School said that he believes that the law would survive such a challenge.

“I’m confident that large part of fair-minded Marylanders understand it and would support it if it came to a ballot,” he said.

To opponents, Madaleno noted, “I would say we have a lot of young people who we’ve invested a lot of time and money in, who identify as Marylanders and want to stay here.”