Perry is looking sharp!
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out altogether if faced with higher tuition costs,” the state would actually lose almost $92 million if the policy were repealed.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.
I don’t care if they can speak English. If they are illegal they need to rediscover the wonders of the colorful folkways of Old Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, or wherever else they came from.
You’ve had several elections since this plan was implemented, how many legislators have been voted out of office because of it?
Come on...have a heart!
Perry is looking sharp!
It's really difficult for me to believe that "Shares a border with Mexico" is the reason Texas is crawling with illegals when New Mexico shares a border with Mexico and they're ranked #27 for illegal aliens vs. my great lakes upper midwest state ranked #4 for illegal aliens.
And per my post #53, I strongly disagreed when Illinois passed in-state tuition for illegal aliens too. I'm ashamed to be one of the "dozen states" rewarding illegal aliens with in-state tuition, which makes it really disturbing when Texas 'conservatives' seem proud that their state was the first one to do it and an ultra-corrupt liberal state got the idea from them.
Why is it the Perrybots say on the one hand that the federal DREAM act is "nothing" like the Texas DREAM act because it has a bunch of other goodies, but then Perrybots continually cite other state DREAM act laws (which have oodles of goodies NOT in the Texas version) as proof the DREAM act is mainstream and acceptable?
Did other parts of the nation and the federal government follow Texas lead when they introduced DREAM acts? Yes or no? Another area where the 'bots can't make up their mind. The Perry campaign seems to do a poor job commuciating their message to the 'bots.
I'm sure that Obama didn't say these things to La Raza:
Gov Rick Perry spoke to LaRaza about the drug cartels, shared responsibility of border security and that it is Washington's responsibility to secure the border -- that the Federal government should support the military, deliver the mail and secure the border -- and they aren't doing their job. [HE RECEIVED a lot of applause] He spoke of the money Texas spends securing the border, that it must be sealed and then we can sustain legitimate commerce...He told about protecting the sanctity of the vote and strengthening our shared values, family, faith, hard work -- they are TEXAS values and we should unite as citizen's of one Nation under God and concentrate on what unites us. He told his Cuervo joke and they found it funny unlike the Liberal Latino Leaders Give Perry Lukewarm Response (or more likely they'd heard it before)
Just like Myth, who supports Romneycare in MA but not Obamneycare nationwide. Hypocrites.
A security fence from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean is estimated to cost $5.6 billion. I suspect the maintenance and manning cost would be a couple hundred million a year on top of that.
Perry has pointed out that a lot, if not most, of the illegals enter this country legally then simply overstay.
The fence will not stop them.
Most voters have never even heard about it. But for your information, I voted against every single incumbent last time (see my tagline). Will do so this time.
How many deadbeat legislators do you have in Iowa and how many elections have you had to vote them out?
Illinois might be the most corrupt and pandering state in the union. Your state, for instance, provides illegals with in-state tuition, and probably a whole lot of other bennies. Why? What possible benefit can there be in being a magnet for illegals?
Pennsylvania does not, btw, give illegals in-state tuition. I don't want it to. I don't want Pa. to become a magnet.
Texas is a different situation. They have a 1200-mile long border with Mexico. It is going to be a magnet no matter what it does. All it can do is find ways to deal with the garbage. In-state tuition makes some sense there. It doesn't in Illinois or Pennsylvania or pretty much anywhere else.
Democrats are all for totally open borders and want amnesty for every illegal who can sneak into the country. NEVER will I vote for a Democrat.
Both Perry and Romney want to have their cake and eat it too.
Danny, ask yourself this:
Why can't Alabama school districts -- a government agency -- check the immigration status of students and kick them out if they are found here illegally?
Why can't Arizona enforce SB 1070?
California passed Prop 187 in 1994 requiring state agencies to screen for immigration status those seeking to use social services. Whatever happened to it?
The answer in each case is the courts overturning duly passed, commonsense law for reasons unfathomable.
As long as the courts prohibit social services from being excluded from those who are here breaking the law we are going to be flooded with illegals regardless of what we put on the border.
A national Prop 187 would be exponentially more effective and infinitely cheaper -- we would be saving money rather than spending it -- than a fence.
Nobody's talking about this. Everybody is talking about a fence, which I don't think will work at all. It's just one of those things that sticks in my craw.
All Perry accomplished by going up in front of a racist, radical organization, which is 100 percent pro-illegal alien, was to lend credibility and legitimacy to La Raza.
Of course, you, Perry and everyone else knows this, and knows the reason he did this was too gain votes/support from these pro-illegal alien organizations.
Wrong again, Iowa. There's this portion of the election called primaries ... perhaps you've heard of them? Then there are independents on the final ballot.
Now I ask again .... how many elections have you had to remove your deadbeat legislators?
It's not as easy as you think it is, is it?
BTW ... lots of GOP legislators want open borders and amnesty too. Perry is a continuing flip-flopper on that one.
La Raza is racist. Perry had no business speaking at their national conference, and neither did Obama, Bush, McCain, or Rove.
How stupid do they have to be to get elected in Texas to pass this drivel?
THE FACTS ARE THESE The border crossers have already falsified numerous official documents-----which they use to ride the US gravy train under multiple identities, get mortgages, drivers licenses, passports, etc etc etc.
Of course, they'll "commit" ----falsifying yet another official document----in order to get subsidized college (thanks to wholesale Texas stupidity).
FRAUD FRAUD FRAUD Jose Madrigal, the Washington state rapist had some 30 identities. One illegal collected $3 million in UI payments using multiple identities. EITC tax payments to illegals now surpasses some $20 billion---illegals falsify apps using various ruses----claiming children they do not have or kids they abandoned in Mexico.
No wonder illegals are streaming into Texas---its got the dumbest government in the US........headed by Mr Ignorance himself---Rick Perry.
This lie has been repeated and refuted many times on FR. ILLEGAL aliens cannot apply for citizenship; they cannot even submit an application.
Only PLRs (permanent legal residents) aka, Green Card holders can apply for citizenship.
Perry's buddies who slithered over the border can apply for 'legal status', though most of those applications are denied.
Watch it
you splain too good...
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