Have degree, can't work

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/21/8 | Debra J. Saunders

[SmithL]

A California appellate court ruling last week supports a lawsuit challenging a state law that grants illegal immigrants heavily subsidized tuition at California public universities and colleges. The court found that the 2001 law conflicts with federal law.

As I read the ruling, I asked the question the judges cannot answer - as it is a policy issue best left to elected lawmakers: Why would a state subsidize the college tuition of students who cannot work legally in the United States when they graduate?

Does California not have enough educated, angry people?

Or does the state have so few angry, educated people that it sees fit to spend more than $17,000 per year on tuition for UC students, more than $13,000 for California State University students and $109 per credit for some 15,000 or more community college students - so that they can be unable to get a job that requires a college degree when they graduate?

From what I've seen, employers who hire college graduates aren't anxious to pay professional salaries to workers who can be deported. Thus California's in-state tuition tax break - and those in nine other states - pave the long, expensive road to underemployment.

The law in question, Assembly Bill 540, was signed by Gov. Gray Davis, who told me six years ago, "I believe someone who spends three years in high school and on their own merit gains admission to a California college should not be denied the opportunity to complete their education because their parents many years ago many have decided to enter the country illegally."

I feel for those kids, whose parents broke the law and got them into this situation. But is the answer to let them pay in-state tuition - still significant at $6,769 for UC...

[Bernard]

In other news, California reports a 50% drop-out rate in high schools throughout the state. This is good in a way, because it means that instead of having to import uneducated labor from other countries, California is growing its own, and they mostly speak English when they join the bottom of the employment ladder.

[Tennessee Nana]

How come American citizens have to pay their own way through college ???

[Ken522]

Does California not have enough educated, angry people?

Why do you go around being angry all the time? Maybe it's a SanFran thing ...

[LasVegasMac]

How come American citizens have to pay their own way through college ???

What a racist question.........

:)

[EEDUDE]

This whole issue basically boils down to the question of fairness.

Why should illegal aliens (however they got here) have their educations subsidized by the taxpayers of the state of California?

The taxpayers in California pay money so that THEIR children can be educated at state supported colleges and universities.

If this sort of nonsense continues, there should be major lawsuits from out of state students that are denied in state tuition rates in California.

This should be winnable because of the equal protection laws.

[Mikey_1962]

States underwrite college educations of their constituents to benefit the State, and other constituents.

Countries writes immigration laws to benefit the country, not the immigrants.

Mexico has some fine colleges, these people should use them.

[familyop]

"Why would a state subsidize the college tuition of students who cannot work legally in the United States when they graduate?"

...because they're more subservient and tolerant about being abused. Large corporations run the state and Federal governments by way of more money and other influences from corporate constituents. It's not so much about pay. It's a vanity/class thing.

[yazoo]

I am curious about their out of state tuition. When my son went to college in Virginia I had to provide a substantial amount of information proving I was a resident. I provided it gladly knowing it kept non-residents from paying in state tuition. If you are an illegal alien how do you prove residency? It seems to me, the documentation you need to prove residency such as tax returns, drivers licenses, etc would be impossible to get if you were an illegal alien.

I know, I am painfully naive.

[nascarnation]

California is growing its own, and they mostly speak English when they join the bottom of the employment ladder.

not really

I think that category mostly goes on welfare

[SmithL]

All they have o prove is attendance at a California High School.

[Ciexyz]

btt

[highlander_UW]

Why would a state subsidize the college tuition of students who cannot work legally in the United States when they graduate?

Because "higher" education is no longer about educating students. It is about indoctrinating them...and why would the dems want to NOT have illegal aliens indoctrinated in favor of liberals?

[Mobile Vulgus]

I have an idea... DON’T give them the schooling in the first place!

There. Problem solved.