Posted on 06/30/2004 11:08:47 AM PDT by lonewacko_dot_com
College shouldn't be difficult for Joaquin, who mastered Advanced Placement classes in a language he learned only four years ago and recently graduated 12th in his high school class.
But paying for it will be. The 19-year-old is an undocumented immigrant. He doesn't qualify for federal financial aid, which makes up 90 percent of the average Texas college student's aid package...
Congress is considering the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which would make some undocumented immigrant students eligible for federal loans, but not grants. The bill would make students who immigrated here five or more years ago at the age of 15 or younger eligible for legal status and federal loans...
In January 2000, he trekked 26 hours across a desert from Mexico with about 50 others to join his father, who was living in North Texas and performing odd jobs. His mother and sister came separately. The family said they paid a smuggler $1,800 each to get them across the border...
(Excerpt) Read more at grandforks.com ...
I've seen several "news reports" very similar to this advocacy piece in other publications. They invariably feature one or two bright illegal aliens who are presented in the most sympathetic light possible. All of the upsides of the DREAM Act are presented, with few of the downsides. If you did a search, you might be surprised. It's almost as if they were all following the same template.
In any case, I'd like to suggest that you break new ground and cover the DREAM Act from a different perspective.
In a future article, could you cover someone who would be negatively impacted by the DREAM Act?
There are only a finite number of colleges, and only a finite amount of money available for discounted college educations. Joaquin (from the "news report") will be in competition with U.S. citizens for those finite discounted college educations.
What that means is there's a good chance that Joaquin will get a discounted college education, and a U.S. citizen will not. For instance, let's assume that there are just 1000 discounted college educations available, that there are 1001 applicants, and that 1000 of of those applicants are U.S. citizens but the 1001st is Joaquin. If Joaquin gets a discounted college education, that means that one of those 1000 U.S. citizens will not.
In other words, there's a good chance that Joaquin - an illegal alien and a citizen of Mexico - will take a discounted college education away from a United States citizen.
Perhaps you could find a citizen who might lose out to an illegal alien and do a sympathetic portrait/advocacy piece on them.
Also, you might want to ask why a) Joaquin can't go to Mexico for a college education, and b) why Mexico apparently is unable to offer him one.
I'll give you credit for including a dissenting voice in the "news report." In a future article perhaps you'll go into more depth on the effect if the DREAM Act passes. Won't that encourage even more illegal aliens to come here with their children to take advantage of the DREAM Act or a similar bill? And, as time goes on, won't those new illegal immigrants take even more discounted college educations away from U.S. citizens?
Also, please give a quick look to this older article ( http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/8234939.htm?1c ): "Eighty-six percent of those surveyed for the Scripps Howard Texas Poll released Saturday said illegal immigration is a very serious or somewhat serious problem..."
I look forward to your next article on this topic.
That will teach those "illegal aliens" for breaking our laws! /s
Very well stated. I hope they publish it as an editorial and take it to heart when they draft their next article on this subject.
Maybe if they really want to D.R.E.A.M., they can apply for US citizenship. Then, if they are good students and seem to contribute to the future good of US society, we can grant them citizenship. But if they don't seem to be of outstanding promise - sorry, no $$$, no citizenship, no scholarship.
They are ILLEGAL ALIENS
And we know who will pay for the loans that are defaulted. What a country we live in.
Arnarchy is scratchin at the door and the answer for it is also coming
Terrorists and illegal invaders are all part of the plan...the same plan implemented in Britain by letting in millions of foreigners who added nothing to the culture other than violent crime...
The Brits beg to give up freedom for security...from the very thugs brought in by their govt.
imo
No, he isn't. He's a criminal, here illegally.
There is free state university education in all of Mexico --- instead of expecting the American taxpayers to give them a free ride, they can go home where their own government will provide it. They are being denied nothing --- they can go to college back home --- and it's free for them.
Well isn't that just duckie. What other goodies does Joaquin and his family receive?
We're not making enough noise, apparently. I wonder what it will take to get our 'betters' attention?
I thought we had a Republican Congress who would control spending. I'm really getting tired of having my wallet picked by these prostitutes and then having them give my money to the illegal alien lobby.
ping
This ain't your daddy's GOP.
A 19-year-old is not a minor. I'd tell him to get a job, but working without a green card would be breaking the law.
Yea, put a citizen out for an Illigrant. Give them a loan, give them an education, give them free housing, and when the Illigrants are done - deport them so US taxpayers end up screwed again because they no longer have to repay the "loans".
Our Mexican Congress is original.
And his ass should be deported!
MF&)(@!(&*$)@&!!!
I am barely able to save for my sons' college and our UN-REPRESENTATIVE representatives [LAWYERS ARE SELF_SERVING PARASITES AND SHOULD BE BANNED FROM GOVERNMENT SERVICE] are going to give away my tax money to those who do not deserve it.
This sucks.
[yeah comment about my yelling as if I didn't know I was doing it]
/rant
I thought we had a Republican Congress who would control spending. I'm really getting tired of having my wallet picked by these prostitutes and then having them give my money to the illegal alien lobby.
I'm sure they'll not skip out on repayment.
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