Gov. Christie Supports Tuition Equity for DREAMers, but Won’t Sign Tuition Equity Bill

Critics are calling his switcheroo part of a 2016 presidential campaign calculus.

By Julianne Hing Dec 04, 2013

New Jersey governor and rumored GOP presidential hopeful Chris Christie says he supports tuition equity for undocumented immigrant students, just not S2479, the New Jersey DREAM Act passed by the state legislature last month which would offer that very benefit.

Democratic lawmakers are accusing Christie of flip-flopping his position from remarks he made this fall during his successful re-election campaign. On Monday, Christie denied those allegations. "I said the legislature should move in the lame duck session towards tuition equality in New Jersey. Period," ABC reported. "That’s what I said. I didn’t support any particular piece of legislation. And I still support tuition equality."

But to advocates of the state’s tuition equity bill, Christie’s support of S2479 seemed clear. In an October speech in front of Latino civic groups, Christie said he supported tuition equity for "everybody in New Jersey," the Associated Press reported.