Tuition Aid For Illegal Immigrants

[DesignFox]

If an immigrant is LEGAL, I have no problem whatsoever giving them anything they are entitled to. If someone is an ILLEGAL immigrant, the only thing they should be entitled to is a ride back to wherever they came.

Further emphasis mine.

I have no problem giving people their due.

If you are here illegally, to me, you are owed nothing. You are essentially stealing resources from the rest of us who have paid our dues.

[AFPheonix]

Further emphasis mine.

I have no problem giving people their due.

If you are here illegally, to me, you are owed nothing. You are essentially stealing resources from the rest of us who have paid our dues.

Yes and no. Illegals do provide a service to the economy, seeing as they're cheap labor. Unfortunately, they are used and abused. It's best for everyone involved, including them, if we do have comprehensive immigration reform, not to mention more appropriate foreign policy reform so we aren't a hindrance to their home country. I would like to see people be able to prosper in their own countries so it's not a matter of life or death having to come here to make enough money so family at home can eat.

[Gravekeeper]

Hahaha, wow. Sorry, that's so fundamentally stupid I'm having trouble taking it seriously. Sneak into the country and get financial aid for tuition? Hah. And there are colleges PUSHING for this? Wow.

What is that? The obstacle course prize? Congrats, you made it past the fence, the alligator pit and the armed patrols! Tell him what we have for him, Bob!

[linguist]

based on the comments so far in this thread, i have to wonder how many of the commentators have actually read beyond the headline.

from the article:

He noted the contradiction in which illegal immigrants who are legally entitled to a K-12 public education suddenly hit barriers when applying to college, even when many are "honor roll students, athletes, class presidents and valedictorians."

"We absolutely believe it's important for opening up economic opportunities," Rudin said.

Under House and Senate bills known as the Dream Act, illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children - defined as age 15 and under - and have lived here for five years could apply to the Homeland Security Department for conditional legal status after graduating from high school.

Such legal status would make the immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition rates and some forms of federal financial aid. Then, if they attend college or participate in military service for at least two years, the immigrants would qualify for permanent legal residency and ultimately citizenship.

these are not people who have come solely to attend college. these are people who came as children (i.e. were brought by their parents or other relatives and are not necessarily here through any fault of their own; in cases where they were brought very young they may not even be aware of their illegal status) and have attended and graduated from public high schools. under the proposed legislation they have to have lived here for at least five years and graduated from high school here. they would be granted conditional legal status, and thus would not be "illegal immigrants" being given financial aid, but conditionally legal immigrants being given a chance at becoming productive permanent citizens.

[Boozy]

Thank you, linguist.

I can't imagine what it must be like to have grown up in the US, gone to school and made friends there, and then get tossed aside by the system at the age of 18...because of a decision your parents made when you were too young to decide for yourself. That's why it drives me crazy to hear people say "Send them back to where they came from." For many of these teenagers, America is the only home they can remember.

[AdminAssistant]

...could apply to the Homeland Security Department for conditional legal status after graduating from high school.Such legal status would make the immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition rates and some forms of federal financial aid. Then, if they attend college or participate in military service for at least two years, the immigrants would qualify for permanent legal residency and ultimately citizenship.

Which would make them legal immigrants, so my complaint would be moot.

I don't advocate 'sending them back where they came from' unless they break the law. I advocate making them legal citizens one way or the other. My hometown has a large migrant population, and Mom has many horror stories from when she worked at the school. Parents who would just drop their kids off at the door and leave them, kids that didn't speak any English at all. One wasn't even potty-trained (they were able to eventually find out he was 4, and they sent him to HeadStart).

[daleduke17]

Which would make them legal immigrants, so my complaint would be moot.

I don't advocate 'sending them back where they came from' unless they break the law. I advocate making them legal citizens one way or the other.

They ARE breaking the law though by being here, though.

[smileyeagle1021]

daleduke, I believe AdminAssistant was speaking specifically about those who immigrated as children with their parents who had no choice in the matter... people should not be punished for their parent's sins. In this case I'd agree with AdminAssistant... for those who came here by their parent's choice rather than their own who have committed no other crime should be allowed to correct their imigration status without any hassle (of course, ideally this would be something that the school systems helped with so after they graduate there is no excuse for them not to have at least started the process, at which point it would be fair to say that all of those who haven't at least started the process still be treated as illegals).

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I would like to make one small point.

One does not have to have citizenship to be paying into the system. You can be here legally as an immigrant, either through a visa or legal residency, and still be paying taxes. I don't think most of the people here who are speaking out against the colleges offering financial assistance to illegal immigrants would have a major problem with the same colleges offering financil assistance to legal immigrants. There is, after all, a huge difference between the two.

Thank you, Jester. Yes, there is a HUGE difference. I have family members who are not citizens but are here legally. I have friends from India, Korea, England, and Scotland who are also here legally. All are paying taxes.

Also, I'd like to mention that some of these people have to jump through about a million hoops every year to "prove" that they are, for instance legitimately married to citizens and not just in sham marriages to get green cards. My sister goes into a complete nervous mess every damn year because she's afraid they might deport her husband. He has to bring freaking family photo albums into a goverment office so that they will renew his right to stay here and pay taxes.

So the idea that he's got to jump through all these hoops and pay his own way while he's here while they are talking about paying for illegals to go to school gratis, paid for no doubt out of my brother in law's and my taxes, is just adding insult to injury.

And no, if they wanted to help out legal non-citizen immigrants, I have no problem with that. Legal non-citizens pay taxes. So that's fair.