Biden proposes to increase Pell Grants, extend them to students with DACA status

President Joe Biden is proposing to increase Pell Grants by $400 a year and extend them to undocumented students who have temporary protection from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Pell grants are a form of federal financial aid available to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Grants vary based on need and the cost of attending a particular college or university. The total amount available for 2021-22 is $6,495.

The administration said the changes would “help shrink racial gaps in higher education — which have worsened amidst the Covid-19 pandemic” and indicated that Biden would eventually like to double the amount of the Pell Grant.

Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, senior advocacy manager of United We Dream, an organization led by young immigrants, celebrated the proposal to make Pell Grants available to DACA recipients, but said hundreds of thousands of undocumented students who do not qualify for DACA will still be left out.

“As President Biden continues to find ways to improve the lives of undocumented youth, he must include a pathway to citizenship for millions of people in his infrastructure package. Our communities need relief, and they need relief now!” Macedo do Nascimento said.