Posted on 07/24/2005 6:13:45 AM PDT by Shawndell Green
Enrollment has increased ninefold since the state allowed them to pay lower tuition
Texas public colleges have seen a spike in enrollment of illegal immigrants since state lawmakers approved a measure allowing them to pay lower in-state tuition rates.
The number of illegal immigrants attending public institutions, particularly community colleges, has increased ninefold since the change was adopted, according to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board data.
In 2001, Texas became the first state to offer in-state tuition and state financial aid to illegal immigrants. Eight other states, including California and New York, have since adopted similar measures.
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who co-sponsored the Texas legislation, said she's pleased to see the strong enrollment patterns.
"Every single student that gets a higher education is going to be able to earn more. That's a great big economic stimulator," she said.
The law also allows these students to be eligible for state financial aid, but it is not known how many benefited from state loans and grants.
Group opposes fees Late last year, the state comptroller reported that more than 82,000 freshmen were denied state grants because there was not enough money for all eligible students.
Groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, based in Washington D.C., oppose giving such opportunities to illegal immigrants.
"These are people illegally in the country who are not entitled to work legally, so investing higher education in them makes no sense," said Jack Martin, the organization's special project director.
"Secondly, because admission spaces are limited, Texas residents are being denied entry, ... and third, it makes no sense to ask Texas taxpayers to support with in-state tuition persons who do not belong in the country," he said.
There were 3,700 illegal immigrants enrolled and paying in-state tuition at Texas' public institutions of higher education by fall 2004, according to the state data. In fall 2001, the first semester this benefit was available, 393 illegal immigrants paid in-state tuition.
Houston has high growth The growth could be sharper because it appears that some institutions did not report the enrollment of these students to the state. The highest growth was at the University of Houston, which enrolled 146 illegal immigrants in fall 2004, and Dallas Community College, which had 744 enrolled.
Texas residents would pay an average of $4,847 in tuition and fees for the coming school year at public universities, far less than the $12,927 charged out-of-state residents. At community colleges, the average in-state cost would be $1,631, compared with $3,405 for nonresidents, according to the coordinating board.
University officials say they are just obeying the law by admitting illegal immigrants.
"Being a public university, we're bound by state law to admit those students if they meet our academic requirements," A&M spokesman Lane Stephenson said.
Augustine Garza, deputy director of admissions at the University of Texas at Austin, said his office does not look at these students' applications differently. "We treat them all exactly the same," he said. "If it's a law, we would be obligated to follow the law."
Most illegal immigrant students are enrolled in community colleges.
Edgar, an 18-year-old Fort Worth resident who came here illegally from Mexico with his family six years ago, has taken two semesters at Tarrant County College and plans to enroll again for the fall semester.
Edgar, who asked that his last name not be used, said his high school guidance counselor told him that he could pay in-state tuition and apply for state financial aid.
"I want to have something I can offer to my children, you know, to my wife. That's why I'm going to school right now," he said. "If I don't get a career, where am I going to be at? Am I going to be working at McDonald's all my life?"
Equal opportunity
Edgar said he received enough state grant money to pay nearly all of his tuition.
He said he's aware of views such as that of Federation for American Immigration Reform but said he doesn't believe anyone should be held back. He said many Americans pass up the chance to go to college, so the opportunities should go to the willing.
Melissa Lazarin, an education-policy analyst for the National Council of La Raza, said her organization is working to reintroduce a bill to Congress that would make federal financial aid to college available to illegal immigrants.
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, has filed a similar bill and said illegal immigrant students shouldn't be punished for being brought here illegally when they were young.
ping
The illegal alien students should voluntarily return to their country of birth or be deported.
Ya know? I see kids coming out of schools that would love to go to college, but they havent the funds. Their parents arent rich they have good grades in school Many of them come from middle class families so they dont qualify for scholarships written for poor kids, yet their parents cant afford to send them.I see foreigners coming to this country taking up spots that should go to Americans. Its just crazy to give cost breaks to illegals that our own citizens cant get. Sure give in state tuition to mexicans. As a matter of fatc give them to everyone. Make it fair Charge everyone the same thing to got to College.
Response: Of course.
Comment: Our politicians view the illegal as a vast untapped field to be farmed for that precious few votes that may tip an election. Once elected the politicians can then give free rein to their pet vice addictions at taxpayers expense. Never underestimate the power of taxpayer supported vice.
10
you must be a liberal troll!
Exactly what is the advantage of being a citizen of the US? If you qualify for all rights and advantages of citizenship without being one, why bother? I am truely flummoxed....
susie
None of my 3 sons qualified for financial aid to go to college. We put them thru (the last graduates next month, praise be to God!). But it makes me livid to think that I have subdized the education of the children of people who don't play by the rules.
susie
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
To build on the advances of the past decade and to craft an agenda for the future, we propose the creation by 2010 of a community to enhance security, prosperity, and opportunity for all North Americans. To that end, we propose a community based on the premise that each member benefits from its neighbors success and is diminished by its problems. The boundaries of the community would be defined by a common external tariff and an outer security perimeter. Within this area, the movement of people and products would be legal, orderly, and safe. The overarching goal is to guarantee a free, safe, just, and prosperous North America.
*****
While trade and investment flows have increased dramatically among our three countries, the development gap between Mexico and its two northern neighbors has widened. This disparity undermines cooperation on areas of common interest and gives rise to regional problems. Low wages and lack of economic opportunity in parts of Mexico stimulate undocumented immigration and contribute to human suffering, which sometimes translates into criminality and violence. As a matter of their own national interests, all three countries should do more to encourage broad-based economic development in Mexico.
*****
Given its historical, cultural, political, and economic ties, North America should have the largest educational-exchange network in the world. We recommend the expansion of scholarship and exchange programs for students at both the secondary and university levels, the development of a network of Centers for North American Studies in all three countries, and cross-border training programs for elementary- and secondary-school teachers.
for the entire document, read http://www.cfr.org/pub7912/independent_task_force_report/creating_a_north_american_community__chairmens_statement.php
Nuts.
yep...we are committing cultural suicide from about any angle you look at it.
bump
Our legal citizen students are being denied access to a high education in favor of ILLEGAL ALIEN students.
You are so-o-o right. I was a single parent and saved like mad so that my child would not have to work their way through school as I did. Ironically, she didn't qualify for a scholarship because I had worked like a dog for years to keep a roof over our heads and consequently didn't have the 'hardship' factor. Her freshman roommate was a minority immagrant(Asian) from an intact family wherein the mother was a homemaker and only worked outside the home part-time when she felt like it. The father earned good money in a government position. The roommate was on a FULL RIDE (tuition AND room and board) scholarship and when this kid arrived to move in we could not believe the piles of c#*# - far more stuff than my kid had. The kicker was at the end of freshman year when the roommate was discovered to have stolen my kid's credit card and gone on a shopping spree. The 'system' didn't know it but they created a stanch conservative in my kid through this experience. We'll never forget it.
We can always use more Conserbatives. Sorry to hear it came about the hard way.
Sorry for the late reply. I lost my 15 year old dog and I have not been on line too much. We plan on getting Terry Anderson LA radio talk show host. Chris Simcox, co-founder of the MM Project Arizona is tentative. We hope to get a Police Chief who is Charging Illegals with trespassing and he can tell our Police what he's done and gone through. Susan Tully from FAIR is doing a workshop and the rest is still in progress!
Come on Down!!
I fully agree with you on that.
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