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Students walk out over ODU's parental visa checks

ODU students are demanding the University reject a state policy they say unfairly targets the children of immigrants.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Students at Virginia's Old Dominion University walked out of classes to protest the university's policy requiring the disclosure of parents' visa status.

The Virginian-Pilot reports ODU Registrar Humberto Portellez has said the university is abiding by state rules when asking for "additional credentials" from dependent children of non-citizens or non-permanent residents who want to be considered for in-state tuition. An organizer of Thursday's walkout, Antony Mondragon, says students shouldn't be denied in-state tuition because of their parents.

A Washington Post column had drawn attention to the policy affecting even native-born U.S. citizens studying at several universities.

Lee Andes with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia says the council has begun restructuring guidelines for establishing residency, aiming to prevent students from having to reveal if their parents are undocumented.

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