In war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan, locals who work for the United States armed forces -- interpreters, drivers, fixers and others -- can be in just as much danger as soldiers. Those in the most danger are frequently admitted to the U.S. under special visas. But some run into another roadblock when they arrive: It can be tough to pay college tuition and further their educations.
A bill in the Colorado legislature aims to change that, by granting in-state tuition to those who enter under these special visas and other refugees. To help us understand what this might mean, we’re joined by Travis Weiner, an Army veteran who's now a law student at the University of Colorado, and by Maytham Allshadood, who was an interpreter for the military in Iraq who is now a transplant nurse at the University of Colorado Hospital.
Alshadood runs a nonprofit called DRIVE Project Colorado, which advocates on behalf of refugees in Colorado. Weiner works with Vets for American Ideals, which advocates, among other things, for refugees who worked for American forces overseas.
