Rick Perry Stands By Texas DREAM Act

U.S. News and World Report ^ | July 25, 2011 | Mallie Jane Kim

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

In sharp contrast to the national Republican Party line, Texas Gov. Rick Perry still supports his state's version of the so-called DREAM Act, which permits foreign-born children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition. "To punish these young Texans for their parents' actions is not what America has always been about," the potential dark horse GOP candidate told the New Hampshire Union Leader in his first New Hampshire interview of the 2012 campaign cycle.

Perry has not yet announced whether he will run for president, but he polls well. Real Clear Politics's average of polls, for example, puts him in fourth place behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is also undeclared. Perry opposes passing such legislation on the federal level, but his stance on immigration could tarnish his star among conservatives, who have fought efforts in other states and the U.S. Congress to pass similar legislation. Critics see such laws as a giveaway to people who have broken the law and unfair to American citizens who have to pay out-of-state tuition to attend universities across state lines.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

Exactly. But we have people who would rather eliminate our borders (aka U.S. Sovereignty) than enforce the law, all for short-term political gain.

What’s alarming is that some FReepers are on board with the sell-out, cheering it on, and claiming it is somehow “honorable” and “a smart move.” Un. Frickin. Believable.

A nation without borders is not a nation.

[silverleaf]

a worker registration system could also address this problem of chaos and lack of any rational and coherent respect for law and order

I think this is part of the solution a conservative administration will try to bring about

Having a better economy and a renewed pride in American exceptionalism can only help. and Screw La Raza!

[Envisioning]

“we don’t care where you come from, but where you are going, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get there.”

I don't care where they come from, just how. Legally or illegally, there is a difference.

And that vision must include the children of undocumented workers.

Not at my expense. Get your corporate buddys to pay the bill, not me.

I'm sure the Perrybots will be along to tell us why this is ok......

[so_real]

This is the two-sidedness of Rick Perry I just don't understand. TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already. Perry includes himself when using the vernacular Tea Party. Yet Perry supports the national adoption of illegal immigrants and their offspring. And he advocates the Trans-Texas Super Corridor so that goods manufactured in Mexico, from companies avoiding taxes by moving manufacturing facilities to Mexico, have a quick and easy route back into the nation. And he supports programs like Gardasil for everyone. Just whose TAX dollars does he plan on using for these programs? We are Taxed Enough Already. Period. I don't want a dime of my money collected for any of these purposes. Punish the criminals, keep jobs in the States, and teach children to save it for marriage. You might not succeed, but failing to try is a travesty, and using my money to fund the alternative is criminal. For a guy who claims to be Tea Party, I'm just not squinting the right way to see it.

[wiggen]

True but we don’t need states bending over backwards to find even more ways to spend money on illegals.

[Envisioning]

(((ping)))

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>I’m sure the Perrybots will be along to tell us why this is ok...... <<

Oh, they’re already here. No matter how much the issue goes against U.S. sovereignty, the constitution or the rule of law, some knucklehead will come out of the woodwork to defend it. It never fails.

[Republic of Texas]

It’s not what he says, it what he does.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>Not at my expense. Get your corporate buddys to pay the bill, not me.<<

YES! My question to all the Perrybots defending this: doesn’t this ENCOURAGE more illegal immigration? Why wouldn’t this give Mexicans even more incentive to come here in bigger droves than they already are?

Grow a brain, people!

[TADSLOS]

What’s alarming is that some FReepers are on board with the sell-out, cheering it on, and claiming it is somehow “honorable” and “a smart move.” Un. Frickin. Believable.

Unfortunately it is belivable. Had you been around here in 2006 thru 2008 you would have read the same comments from numerous FReepers defending Bush and McCain on their push for immigration reform legislation.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>Unfortunately it is belivable. Had you been around here in 2006 thru 2008 you would have read the same comments from numerous FReepers defending Bush and McCain on their push for immigration reform legislation. <<

I remember. I was lurking. Idiocy.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>It’s not what he says, it what he does.<<

Then he will say whatever he wants us to believe, then do whatever he wants. I’ve had about all of that I can take.

;-)

[CaptainK]

Let them pay the same tuition that foreign students pay. Since they are foreign students.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Perry in helicopter with Greta (TX-MX border is over 1250 miles)

2007: [excerpt] “If you show up illegally, without your card or you’re here as a criminal element, I’m for throwing the book at those folks, but the issue of people who want to legally, thoughtfully and appropriately come to America to work and help us build our economy — we should quickly come up with a program and an identification card to do that.” [end excerpt] Source

*********

"......When Obama continued to refuse even five minutes for the Governor, Perry took matters into this own hands and was standing on the tarmac at Austin’s airport when President Obama stepped off of Air Force One. Obama looked confused, Perry looked determined. Obama still ignored the pleas for help.

Perry again took matters into his own hands, and established an elite unit of Texas Rangers to bolster border security..." Source

********************

CW: We've been dealt a hand here in Texas (and if you've read my threads you know much of this) where we have a federal government that has not answered the call to protect the 1250 border miles Texas shares with Mexico. Gov. Perry does not believe a fence is the answer to illegals crossing the U.S.-Mexican border. He believes conservative ascendancy will. So we do the best with what we have ($100M/yr of our own state money put up to help secure an international border). We have a lot of crime to combat and pay for because of the illegal activity (drugs, human smuggling and trafficking) generated by an unsecured international border.

We can't refuse to educate or give health care, as everyone in every state is faced with the same situation, but since Perry is a border gov, he's held responsible for illegal aliens, where everyone vents their frustration about the problem using him as a whipping boy (and to make political points and take pot shots). Perry's asked for drones (went to Israel and asked how they protect Gaza Strip), has asked for 3000 people here on the TX border (crickets). Perry has set up an elite Texas Ranger unit to work on the border. Then we find out the Feds have been "running guns" across the border and we've had people killed because of that.

The Texas Dream Act was set up because we have a lot of kids here from the way the feds have allowed this to snowball. Students who have been in Texas for 3 years and graduated from a Texas high school get instate tuition (no benefits -- they pay their way) The entire Texas Senate voted for this in 2001. (The Texas Dream Act does NOT have all the hidden goodies the U.S. Congress "Dream Act" was trying to get into law.)

Perry has said: “If you show up illegally, without your card or you’re here as a criminal element, I’m for throwing the book at those folks, but the issue of people who want to legally, thoughtfully and appropriately come to America to work and help us build our economy — we should quickly come up with a program and an identification card to do that.”

The Texas legislature meets every 2 years for 140 days and the governor is allowed to call Special Sessions. He called a Special Session because he had put "sanctuary cities" on the agenda and the legislature dropped the ball -- but the Senate and then the House left again -- giving Gov. Perry nothing to sign (Texas legislators also have elections they'll be facing and no doubt didn't want a vote on this shadowing their re-election bids).

In this just ended session, after about 3 tries to slip it into a bill, a law that required people to show their birth certificate to get a drivers license got through [The amendment, added by Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, to the education funding bill legislators needed to balance the state budget had originally been included in Senate Bill 9, the so-called "sanctuary cities" bill that failed in the special session. It also had appeared in an omnibus homeland security bill by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, that died in the regular session......By putting it into law the state potentially undermines an ongoing lawsuit that argues DPS doesn't have authority to check legal status.]. However, the ink on that law was barely dry before it was overturned by a judge – as usual.

In this last Texas Legislative session Gov. Perry signed the Texas Photo ID Voting Law -- it took 6 years to get it through -- Only 6 states have a PHOTO Voter ID requirement.

Texas has a long history with Mexico and being "Mexican" does not mean that you aren't an American, or a Texan. A lot of Texans have Mexican heritage or are married to someone who does. Perry doesn't lead with his chin. He's a thoughtful man.

Rick Perry is as ready to fix this as anyone and understands it probably better than anyone running -- or commenting anonymously on a chat site.

*******************

The 2001 TEXAS Dream Act was passed by 100% of the Texas Senate:

"It’s important to point out that there is a huge difference in the TEXAS Dream Act and the The Dream Act that was pushed in Congress and failed. The Dream Act in Congress was full of all kinds of goodies other than allowing children of illegals to receive in state tuition. The Texas Dream Act was focused only on that. I happen to agree with The Texas Dream Act, and so did everyone in the Senate in Texas. It passed with ZERO “no” votes. Add to that, it has been proven to be successful.

These are a few things you need to know about the [2001] Texas Dream Act. The child has to have lived in Texas the three years leading up to high school graduation. These students are given no special treatment in getting into Texas colleges and universities. They must get in on their own merit. They are paying the tuition (with or without financial aid). It’s estimated that these students make up about 1% of those entering college.

[snip]

Most of us agree that border control MUST be dealt with first. The problem with all other efforts on this issue in the past is that the borders were not sealed. If there is anyone who we can trust to do that it is Gov. Perry (if he decides to run for President). He knows what goes on down at the border. He has gone there many times. He knows what needs to be done. There is no doubt in my mind that if he were President, he would seal our borders. But Perry also understands Hispanic outreach." Source

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

Please explain to everyone why you support the Texas DREAM Act, if you do.

Please explain why the children of illegals should have the same advantages of a higher education that U.S. citizens do.

Please explain why they should be rewarded, so they can take away even more jobs from our citizens.

Please explain why taxpayers should reward their lawbreaking by paying for their education, and allowing them access to other resources, rather than enforcing the laws against using illegal labor.

Please tell me what part of “illegal” you do not understand.

[TBP]

In-state tuition for illegals is a bad idea even if a Republican is doing it. It also indicates an unwillingness to deal with our illegal immigration problem.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>In-state tuition for illegals is a bad idea even if a Republican is doing it. It also indicates an unwillingness to deal with our illegal immigration problem.<<

Absolutely. Yet for political expedience, we have people willing to not only cave on their principles (if they ever had any) but to actually ENDORSE this lawlessness.

I can’t believe what I am seeing on Free Republic.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I wrote it out, plain as day in my post.

[TBP]

We’ve always had RINO Republibots around this site.

[silverleaf]

Most foreign students come from foreign elite families...like 9-11 hijacker Mohammed Atta

So for impoverished people, that solution is a nonsolution

Did you know the much-maligned Maryland Dream Act applies to getting resident tuition for 2 years of community college - requires the parents to show they paid state taxes - and requires the student to register for legal residency?