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Why I Support the Texas DREAM Act
WingRight.org ^ | 8-8-11 | Beverly Nuckols, MD (hocndoc)

Posted on 08/11/2011 6:42:41 AM PDT by hocndoc

I was the first in my family to graduate from college, much less to go to Medical school. I believe I was blessed by attending Texas elementary and high school, Tyler junior college, UT at Tyler, and then Med school and residency in San Antonio, Texas. I'm grateful, knowing that a “non-traditional student” (an older woman with a family) couldn't have done that in any place but the USA and Texas. No one took my place or squeezed my kids out of a good education, even though we live in a small city where more than 50% of the surnames are of Spanish origin and we know that we have kids of illegal aliens in our schools.

Our law in Texas, (unofficially called The Texas DREAM Act after the failed Federal Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors), allows a young adult — who was brought here as a minor through no fault of his own – to be counted as a resident only for calculating tuition rates in our State-supported colleges. The Federal residency or citizenship requirements do not change for someone going to college under this provision. Young people who finish at least 3 years of high school, get their diploma from a Texas high school, have lived in Texas the 12 months before applying, and who get admitted to a Texas college, pay in-state tuition. In contrast to what we often hear, the law doesn’t discriminate against legal aliens from other states: rather than 3 years of residency, they only have to live in Texas for one year to establish residency and it doesn’t matter where they went to high school.

In order to continue to qualify for in-State tuition rates, he must pass his classes, take a full or near-full load and promise to formally apply for legal residency status as soon as Federal law allows.

The “Texas DREAM Act” is the law in our state and was passed with veto-proof numbers by the Texas Legislature over 10 years ago, in 2001. HB 1403 passed in the Senate with 29 “yeas,”no "Nays." It received 130 votes in favor in the House. The text of the Bill is, here. The Texas Legislature has never repealed the DREAM Act, although it was revised and made stricter in 2005 with SB 1528. That Bill also appeared veto-proof, with 31 votes in the Senate, and a non-recorded vote in the House. This year, the sole attempt by Senator Birdwell to increase tuition for undocumented students failed to make it out of the 82nd Legislature’s Senate, even when he tried to tie an amendment onto the larger Education Bill.

On most immigration subjects, I’m probably to the right of many people. I would insist that adults who cross the border illegally must go back to their country of origin before beginning any path to citizenship or residency. They should start the process on the other side of the border -- *especially* if they have an anchor baby as proof that they have already broken our laws. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

In fact, I'm all for identifying adults who came here illegally, breaking our laws and for deporting the whole family until they can get in line and come here legally. Otherwise, we are encouraging people to break the law over and over. They go “underground” and are vulnerable. As a consequence, young people often graduate from our high schools truly “undocumented” in either country.

However, Federal law interferes with any attempt by the State to stop the problem where it begins. The Feds won't deport people. They won't allow us to identify those illegal adults with kids in our schools and deport them. Federal Courts have ruled that we must bend over backwards to prevent any appearance of scrutiny that might "chill" the educational prospects of any child, from preschool to high school graduation. In spite of all these limits on what the States can do, there’s no Federal attempt at a legal provision for identifying their country of origin.

So, until we can get the federal law changed to better control and deport known adult illegal aliens, do we Texans encourage their identification as (grateful) United States Americans and Texans or do we make them men and women without a country?


TOPICS: Education; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnestyisgood; dream; dreamact; perry; rickperry; rinorick; texas
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To: Hot Tabasco

Do you believe in punishing the child for the sins of the father?
________________________________________

Do you believe in punishing my children for the sins of the illegal alien kids father?


121 posted on 08/11/2011 4:16:02 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana
Post of the day!

I never thought I'd ever see the day any freeper would justify illegal immigration and reward illegal activity. Never.

And all under the guise of pushing Rick Perry.

122 posted on 08/11/2011 4:20:48 PM PDT by rintense (God made me a conservative. FR made me a better one. :))
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To: Tennessee Nana
Do you believe in punishing my children for the sins of the illegal alien kids father?

Didn't your mother ever teach you that it was impolite to answer a question with a question? Or was my question too complex for you to give a substantive answer? Again, what would YOU do?

123 posted on 08/11/2011 4:34:38 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (You can't forfeit the game Chuck! If you go home you forfeit!)
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To: Hot Tabasco

You just answered a question with a question so I guess your mother didn’t teach you it either.

I’m more concerned with the legal citizens of this country than I am people, children or adults, who are here illegally.


124 posted on 08/11/2011 4:40:41 PM PDT by beandog
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To: beandog
You just answered a question with a question so I guess your mother didn’t teach you it either.

Actually I didn't but I don't have any expectations that you read thru all the 124 posts..............

125 posted on 08/11/2011 4:44:56 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (You can't forfeit the game Chuck! If you go home you forfeit!)
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To: Hot Tabasco

Since you mentioned my mother and my father

My mother was appalled by the illegal aliens breaking into our country to have their anchor babies or breing their children here illegally etc...

(Shes spinning in here grave right now that you would suggest she would do that herself)

My father loved the US and the marines and soldiers who saved us from the Japanese

Neither would have dreamed of breaking into the US

and why would they need to ???

Neither was a criminal or had a disease or other thing that would have kept them out if they had wanted to come here...

They always had encouraged me to come here but they never told me to break the law as I entered...


126 posted on 08/11/2011 6:23:30 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: hocndoc
and we know that we have kids of illegal aliens in our schools

Actually, Tyler Texas is where the disaster really got started.

You voted in the 1970s to exclude illegal aliens from your school on the very good theory that illegal aliens - whatever their age - have no claim on taxpayer services...like public schools.

The Supreme Court threw that law out in 1982, in a decision called Plyler v. Doe. Because of Plyler, entire states are now going bankrupt, the schools in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are predominantly Mexican (the LAUSD is 85% "hispanic", after being 85% Not Hispanic for the previous 100 years), and in my hometown of Tucson, the little darlings are engaging in terror tactics to try to force us to pay to teach them about their Stolen Land and the non-existent Aztec history of the Southwest.

So where do you then get off talking about "we voted on it, it's a law"? Your own laws were gutted by a Supreme Court decision that is simply wrong, and Un-Constitutional.

Your argument is that the will of the people only goes one direction - OK if it benefits the citizens of Mexico, not OK if it discriminates against them as non-citizens?

Standard rap of the Left since the 1890s.

In fact, your laws now discriminate against Citizens of the United States in favor of illegal aliens, which is utterly un-Constitutional and an affront to Americans. The strained reasoning that you employ to attempt to rationalize it is just that.

127 posted on 08/11/2011 10:49:06 PM PDT by Regulator (Watch Out! Americans are on the March! America Forever, Mexico Never!)
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To: Regulator

The difference is that people can make distinctions between two situations. The will of the people is to block illegal aliens, control our borders and to not be burdened with support of the families of illegal aliens.

That first attempt - to not support illegal aliens with our social services and education dollars - failed because of court rulings and regulations.

HB 1403, is supported by the voters, I hope because of realism and compassion, an attempt to encourage good character and education rather than gangs and prison. We would also like to convert the resistance to assimilation and identification with Mexico.

It’s a very narrow accommodation made to the young people that the Feds and Courts would not allow us to identify and deport.


128 posted on 08/11/2011 11:23:07 PM PDT by hocndoc (http://WingRight.org)(I've got a mustard seed and I'm not afraid to use it.)(RIAing))
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To: hocndoc; All
Note to All: This thread's poster, "hondoc" has a blog blog, http://wingright.org/ that is basically one long press release for Rick Perry. So this is clearly part of an organized effort to whitewash some of Perry's weaknesses as he enters the race.
129 posted on 08/12/2011 5:26:43 AM PDT by montag813
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

How comfortable are you with Rick Perry’s chummy relationship with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)?


130 posted on 08/12/2011 5:32:01 AM PDT by montag813
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To: montag813

Not very organized, here. Just the “hot air under the right wing.” Mission: Edify, Educate and Elect!

But you ought to read my review of “The Undefeated” http://wingright.org/2011/08/01/the-undefeated-sarah-palin-documentary/

And see the “Open Letter to Republican Leaders.” http://wingright.org/2011/07/23/an-open-letter-to-republican-leaders/ I do talk about the deToqueville moment in the US and the fact that conservatives can split hairs finer than Baptists and we eat our own. http://en.wordpress.com/tag/weshoottourown/


131 posted on 08/12/2011 7:24:16 AM PDT by hocndoc (http://WingRight.org)(I've got a mustard seed and I'm not afraid to use it.)(RIAing))
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To: hocndoc
I don’t consider this Texas law to be “liberal.” It’s dealing with reality,

But you're ignoring the reality that millions of American citizens have lost their jobs to these ILLEGAL invaders. And every seat in a college classroom taken by an ILLEGAL alien should have and could have been taken by an American citizen. Every dollar spent educating ILLEGAL aliens should have been spent on an American citizen. These are realities that liberal and YOU (frankly, I don't see the difference) fail to see and accept.

132 posted on 08/12/2011 7:23:59 PM PDT by South40 ("President Fox's vision for an open border is a vision I embrace" ~Gov. Rick Perry)
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To: Tennessee Nana
Do you believe in punishing the child for the sins of the father? ________________________________________

Do you believe in punishing my children for the sins of the illegal alien kids father?

Hi Nana. Apparently some think it's punishing the child of an ILLEGAL alien to both label and treat them as ILLEGAL also. Such insanity is prevalent in a Rick Perry thread as his apologists just can't accept it is wrong to reward ILLEGAL aliens with anything. And to them I would ask...if an ILLEGAL alien stole your car and gave it to his son to drive, should the son get to keep it? After all, he didn't steal it, so why punish him for the sins of his father?

You've done a great job in this thread but I'm sure you've come to realize you'll get very little in the way of logic from a pro-illegal alien Perry supporter.

133 posted on 08/12/2011 7:33:18 PM PDT by South40 ("President Fox's vision for an open border is a vision I embrace" ~Gov. Rick Perry)
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To: South40

This is Texas. There’s no shortage of colleges, so no one is displaced by anyone as an undergrad, except possibly at UT.

We meed to stop them at the border, we should not allow their families to live here long enough for them to finish 3 full years. The whole problem should not exist.

But it does.

Isn’t it odd that you’d lump me with liberals over one point - in state tuition?

Because this isn’t abortion, this isn’t marriage, this is not “open borders.” The law in Texas that is called the “DREAM ACT,” only allows for in state tuition for a narrow group that hasn’t gone to jail, has done well academically, and has been admitted to and atten college.


134 posted on 08/12/2011 8:43:13 PM PDT by hocndoc (http://WingRight.org)(I've got a mustard seed and I'm not afraid to use it.)(RIAing))
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To: hocndoc
Thanks, but I already knew and understood all that.

What this boils down to is I don't believe illegal aliens should receive anything that should go to an American citizen and you apparently do. I don't believe American taxpayer dollars should be spent educating illegal aliens and you apparently do. So be it.

Fortunately, Perry's liberal policies on giving aid to illegals will cost him the nomination, as it should, and he will never be POTUS.

135 posted on 08/12/2011 9:14:20 PM PDT by South40 ("President Fox's vision for an open border is a vision I embrace" ~Gov. Rick Perry)
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To: South40
I don't believe illegal aliens should receive anything that should go to an American citizen and you apparently do. I don't believe American taxpayer dollars should be spent educating illegal aliens and you apparently do.

Thanks I agree with you, and so do our laws.

I also commented on this issue at This Link.

136 posted on 08/14/2011 1:21:34 PM PDT by Syncro (Sarah Palin, the unofficial Tea Party candidate for president--Virtual Jerusalem)
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To: hocndoc; All
Thanks for posting this. I added it to my ad-hoc Perry "fact file."

I'm finding his immigration record isn't what "governor goodhair" critics say.

Perry's signed bills against human trafficking (HB 1372, 4008 & SB 11 of '07), on increased border security (probably the Rangers on the border he's mentioned; HB1 of '07), for tougher employer sanctions (HB 1196 of '07), on document fraud (HB 126 of '07) and signed Voter ID. Source: http://www.txcc.org/illegal-immigration & Reuters (Voter ID signing)

He did send Texas Rangers to the border like he claimed in Iowa: Texas governor sends Rangers to Mexico border (2009)

He also mentioned using arial assets on the border when in Iowa:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry says Predator drones should patrol Texas border (2009)

Texas gets a second aerial drone for border security (2011)

He's not for amnesty or "pathway to citizenship" as a reward:

In A December 2006 editorial, Gov. Perry wrote: "I would rather know who is crossing our border legally to work instead of not knowing who is crossing our border illegally to work. A guest worker program that provides foreign workers with an ID removes the incentive for millions of people to illegally enter our country. It also adds those workers to our tax base, generates revenue for needed social services and it can be done without providing citizenship." and "Along with millions of Americans, I think it is wrong to reward those who broke our laws with citizenship ahead of those who have followed the law and are waiting to enter this country legally. And like millions of Americans I do not support amnesty." (Emphasis mine.)

Source: http://governor.state.tx.us/news/editorial/10326/

He's a critic of E-Verify's lack of impact on Texas but it is used in thousands of Texas business although not required. However, Texas does require and use the I-9 "employment eligibility" forms which is where E-Verify is supposed to take its info. So in a real sense Texas already verifies eligibility, and under Perry it became harder on employers who violate the law and those who provide documents to defraud employers. Hutchison says Texas state doesn't use E-Verify to weed out undocumented workers applying for jobs (PolitiFact, 2010)

A mandatory E-Verify bill failed to pass the Texas legislature this year Business leaders say mandatory ‘E-Verify’ plan would harm small businesses (2011)

Perry snuck a ban on driver's licenses for illegals through (SB 1). ID measure passed quietly, while sanctuary cities bill died noisily

A bill banning "sanctuary cities," added by Perry to the recent special session, passed the Senate but failed in the Texas House. Same story as above: ID measure passed quietly, while sanctuary cities bill died noisily

I look at all this and have to ask what people are complaining so much about. I don't see an "open borders" candidate here.

I see someone interested in common sense, security, safety and business. All things we could use in Washington right now!

137 posted on 08/15/2011 3:39:19 AM PDT by newzjunkey (growing tired of the lying liars)
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To: newzjunkey

Great job! Thank you for the information about the new necessity to prove citizenship in order to get a driver’s license!


138 posted on 08/15/2011 6:10:01 AM PDT by hocndoc (http://WingRight.org)(I've got a mustard seed and I'm not afraid to use it.)(RIAing))
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To: Syncro

Thanks Syncro! I couldn’t agree with you more. Unfortunately Rick Perry supporters think it’s ok to spend our increasingly scarce taxpayer dollars educating anyone who happens to be in this country. I don’t, conservatives don’t and most sane Americans don’t. We just can’t afford it nor should we be rewarding illegal behavior.


139 posted on 08/15/2011 3:26:44 PM PDT by South40 (Primaries are about choosing a conservative candidate, not settling on a Rove RINO)
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To: All; hocndoc
Here's a two page summary called "Residency and In-State Tuition" (Acrobate PDF) from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board outlining HB 1403 and the changes made with SB 1528.

One of the provisions of SB 1528 requires a non-citizen/permanent resident file an affidavit with the educational institution with intent to apply for Permanent Resident status as soon as able to do so.

140 posted on 08/17/2011 4:15:42 AM PDT by newzjunkey
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