The event, called undocuRutgers, is designed to help "undocumented" immigrants take advantage of a recent change in New Jersey law to attend college.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- Nine months after a similar event was packed to capacity in Newark, Rutgers University will host a college fair on its New Brunswick campus Saturday for immigrants living in the country illegally.
The event, called undocuRutgers, is designed to help "undocumented" immigrants take advantage of a recent change in New Jersey law that allows young people living in the country illegally to attend public colleges at in-state tuition rates.
More than 300 unauthorized immigrants and their families have registered to attend the 3 1/2-hour college fair at the Douglass Campus Center, organizers said. The event will include information on how those living in the country illegally can apply to Rutgers and local community colleges.
Rutgers hosted its first undocuRutgers fair in February on the Newark campus. The controversial fair was the first-of-its-kind in New Jersey designed for unauthorized immigrants.
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Organizers said the fair was part of the changing climate in New Jersey that is encouraging unauthorized immigrants to come out of the shadows and go to college.
More than 200 students and their families attended the Newark college fair, which filled to capacity. However, Rutgers officials stationed police officers at the doors and limited access to the buildings after critics threatened to disrupt the event.
The controversy in Newark did not dissuade organizers from planning Saturday's follow-up event on Rutgers' main campus in New Brunswick, said Giancarlo Tello, a Rutgers-Newark senior and student activist.
"At the end of the day, you are just trying to get the information to the students who want to go to your university," said Tello, who is attending school using a Rutgers scholarship designed for immigrants who have lived in the U.S. without legal permission.
Tello, like many unauthorized immigrants brought to the country as children, has successfully applied for a waiver allowing him to remain in the U.S. temporarily under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals measure signed by President Obama in 2012.
He was among the students who helped lobby New Jersey to change its laws in 2013 to make it easier for unauthorized immigrants to attend college.
In 2013, Gov. Chris Christie signed controversial Dream Act legislation allowing the children of immigrants living in the country illegally to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey's public colleges.
In the past, unauthorized immigrants could apply to the state's two- and four-year public colleges. But, they were forced to pay out-of-state tuition, which made the schools unaffordable for many families.
Christie has refused to support additional legislation that would make students living in the country illegally eligible for state financial aid, including grants for low-income students.
Unauthorized immigrants are also banned from applying for Pell grants and other federal financial aid.
The Rutgers college fair will include information on applying to college and other scholarships and financial resources available to unauthorized immigrants, organizers said.
Rutgers Law School representatives will also give a presentation on the recent changes to the federal immigration policies approved by Obama.
The event is open to unauthorized immigrants in high school and college and adults considering returning to school. Those attending are asked to register at undocurutgersnb.eventbrite.com.
As at the Newark event in February, the media and members of the public will not be permitted into the college fair to protect the privacy of the undocumented immigrants attending, organizers said.
Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find NJ.com on Facebook.