Emory attract critics over helping undocumented students

Emory University has become a target or critical articles by politically right-leaning websites and social media because of its policy of helping undocumented students.

Beginning this fall, Emory will offer "100 percent of demonstrated financial need" for undocumented undergraduate students who graduated from a U.S. high school. The financial help would come from a combination of university-based grants and scholarships, work study and loans, Emory says on its website. Emory is a private institution.

Some critics are calling for President Donald Trump to seek to withhold federal funding to Emory because of that.

Prominent Georgia Republican strategist Julianne Thompson said criticism of the policy has “lit up” Facebook and Twitter.

Emory officials, though, say critics have misinterpreted how the policy works.

Emory’s financial aid director John Leach stressed no federal or state funds are used for the program, which began in 2015 and was updated for this fall. Leach cited federal guidelines that say undocumented students may be eligible for aid from a college or university.

“There is a lot of misinformation that has been put forth,” Leach said.