Oct 6, 2011 Interviewing Rick Perry On Illegal Immigration [10 Points]
Posted on 10/26/2011 12:34:55 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[embedded LINKS at source]
Have you heard? “The government is subsidizing illegal immigration! The Texas DREAM Act grants amnesty! Illegal immigrants are going to college for FREE!”
Hold your horses, folks. These statements, which are hurled at Gov. Rick Perry from both sides of the political spectrum, are simply not true.
In-state tuition for illegal immigrants is a hard policy to argue because it rests on such a thin line between supporting education and rewarding law-breaking. Admittedly, the governor didn’t argue the case well when he said opponents of this policy “don’t have a heart.” (He’s since recanted that statement.) But the people of Texas and the law support it and, when you know the truth, the policy is really not as controversial as it sounds.
Let’s start with the facts.
Those officially qualified as residents of the state of Texas are eligible for reduced in-state tuition rates at public universities. Resident status, as defined by the Texas Education Code §54.052 and §54.053, requires the following:
* Citizens must have lived in Texas for a minimum of three years and have graduated from a Texas high school. * Non-citizens must have lived in Texas for a minimum of three years, have graduated from a Texas high school, and commit to starting the process of obtaining legal citizenship.
It’s that simple.
Critics say it’s a policy Texans don’t support. But it was overwhelmingly passed by the state legislature in 2001 with just five dissenting votes out of the 181 members in both houses. If that isn’t a majority, and a bipartisan one at that, I don’t know what is.
Other skeptics say it creates an unmanageable drain in tuition dollars and costs taxpayers millions. But in the 2010 fiscal year, only about 16,476 students out of 1.3 million, most at two-year community colleges, took the reduced rates. That’s about one percent – hardly a takeover of the public education system. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimated that, “assuming many of these students would enroll in less expensive schools or drop out altogether if faced with higher tuition costs,” the state would actually lose almost $92 million if the policy were repealed.
Still others say it’s the equivalent of amnesty. This is the one point that makes my internal alarm begin to chirp. I do not and will never condone illegal immigration or amnesty for illegal immigrants in any form – but the fact is, many of these students were brought to the U.S. by their parents. They are committing themselves to furthering their education, making a better life for themselves, and becoming productive citizens. This policy makes the best of a bad situation.
In the words of Geoffrey Tahuahua, Texas state chair of Students for Rick Perry, “Rather than allowing these kids to be a burden on the system, it’s better to encourage them to become educated contributors to our economy and our society.”
And Texas is not the only state to offer in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. According to CNN, California, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin have similar policies (though Wisconsin’s may be set to expire this year).
Bottom line, in-state tuition facilitates the education of young people and commits them to obtaining citizenship. That’s the crucial piece of the puzzle.
Finally, in-state tuition is just that: a state issue. Not once has Governor Perry advocated for the federal government or other states to adopt this policy. He has yet to indicate that he would do so as President. The fact is, this policy is legal, and it has no real negative consequences. Until the border is actually secured, I can see no reason to repeal this law.
You may not like it, but it works for Texas. And as y’all know, it’s never a good idea to mess with Texas.
March 1, 2011 Amended: Utah in-state tuition for non-citizens .........."The House did amend the bill to require undocumented students, their parents or guardian to pay state income taxes for three years as a condition of obtaining in-state tuition. The time period matches the amount of years a student must attend a Utah high school (and graduate) to be eligible for the benefit.
Wimmer said that's not an unreasonable expectation. "All we're asking is for a little personal responsibility," he said. "How could that be wrong?"
Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake, said legislators could be treading on equal protection laws.
"It almost smacks of being a poll or special tax," she said.
As for HB191 itself, which ultimately passed 44-28, Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, invoked Abraham Lincoln and Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in arguing against it. He said it would discourage Latinos, whether citizens or not, from going to college.
"If we narrow the schoolhouse doors in any way, we go against our higher duty," he said.
Majority Assistant Whip Ronda Rudd Menlove, R-Garland, said everyone is frustrated over the federal government's inaction on illegal immigration. But "we're going to take out our frustration with a broken system … and punish 650 students."..
Oct 6, 2011 Interviewing Rick Perry On Illegal Immigration [10 Points]
This policy makes sense, of course, given the constraints states face in regards to illegal immigration. A dozen states have similar policies.
Oh, in before the anti-Perry kill them illegals troll squad.
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No Thanks Anita. We’ll go with our conservative options.
Best thing he can do is just go away!
How can they become productive citizens as this purports if they are not citizens? That argument alone makes it a form of dream act. It is like rewarding frequent flier miles to the thief who used tickets belonging to someone else.
No. 1, why teach in Spanish and accomodate non-English speaking interlopers? Why not make English the Official Language in Texas, requiring NO PRINTING IN SPANISH of an State Documents, no Non-English text books, no Non-English signage of any kind produced by the State?
THEN, we'll believe this drivel.
“Committing to become Citizens” is a far cry from “Must become U.S. Citizens, prior to Application”.
How any real American can support this is beyond me. Damn illegal-lovers.
He’s a stammering, stuttering, soft-on-illegals- Governor of Texas running for President.
Seems like we’ve seen this movie before. It didn’t end well.
Texas passed it ten years ago.
If this is beyond you, ask Texans why they haven’t repealed it.
“Critics say it’s a policy Texans don’t support. But it was overwhelmingly passed by the state legislature in 2001 with just five dissenting votes out of the 181 members in both houses. If that isn’t a majority, and a bipartisan one at that, I don’t know what is.”
2001?????????????
Nice try to distort the issue. Yes, Americans as a whole were more receptive of illegals and amnesty back then (2001), because the tagline was that they were coming her to survive and for a better life, and that they were actively assimilating into American culture, not the other away around. In 2001, there really wasn’t up uproar.
Then around 2004/2005, the illegals started getting bold. They no longer wanted to concentrate on assimiliation. They DEMANDED rights. They started singing the National Anthem in Spanish and protesting in large numbers in majors cities with the Mexican flag. When people started to see that, that’s when the whole issue changed to no Amnesty.
Tancredo’s Opinion Column from August sums up the Majority view now (if it wasn’t the majority view, Perry’s numbers wouldn’t have tanked)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61076.html
How about all the innocent US citizens killed by the sainted illegals?
“If you’ll give me enough money, I’ll commit to becoming a Democrat.” How is this commitment any different? What enforces it? Suppose they commit to try, do so, and are denied? Who pays the difference?
HORSE SH*T! I have kids in college and one was roomed in the dorms with one of those DREAM ACT illegals. Talk about a free ride. You do NOT want me to get started on this soap box. NO YOU DO NOT! There is not one Texan I know of that supports this crap.
A 2010 Texas Tribune Poll found that 77% of Texans OPPOSE in-state tuition for illegals.
It doesn’t “work” for Texas. It’s being crammed down our throats.
Gov. Perry will NEVER rationalize away this issue to the satisfaction of conservatives. So long as you - and him - keep defending this blatant catering to illegal entry, his campaign is going to stay in the single digits.
Good for them, THEY CAN KEEP IT, and Perry with it. As for the rest of "HEARTLESS" America, we DON'T want any part of Perry or his plan to bring his ILLEGAL ALIENS FIRST or "love ILLEGAL ALIEN in-state tuition" policies to the rest of America.
As you so aptly said: "Give it up. We know what your boy thinks of us. Now you know what we think of him."
"Best thing he can do is just go away!"
can’t be a state citizen of any state unless you are or become a US citizen first - that is codified federal law from what I’ve read.
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