As many states and the federal government continue to grapple with what tuition benefits, if any, should be provided to illegal immigrants to the United States, a new report highlights the plight of immigrants who are here legally yet still face many barriers to pursuing a higher education.

The report, being released today by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, a nonprofit group based in Washington, concludes that legal immigrants who are permanent residents need more help from colleges, states, and the federal government to enroll in college and complete degrees.

The report, “Opening the Door to the American Dream: Increasing Higher Education Access and Success for Immigrants,” says that legal immigrants often need help because they tend to face more barriers than U.S. citizens do. Many are adult learners who do not go to college right after high school, attend college part time, and have dependents of their own. Immigrants also tend to have higher unmet financial needs than average undergraduates do, the report says, and they are more likely than their peers to earn certificates or associate degrees rather than bachelor’s degrees.

The report recommends that legal immigrants who are permanent residents of the United States be made eligible for all federal and state financial-aid programs, some of which are limited to U.S. citizens. Those include the federal Academic Competitiveness Grant and the federal National Science and Math Access to Retain Talent Grant.

Legal immigrants also should receive help from the federal TRIO programs, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the report says. And states and institutions should make sure more classes that teach English as a second language are available for individuals from immigrant groups who are least likely to enroll in college, according to the report. —Sara Hebel