Undocumented (illegal aliens) students live in Massachusetts without benefits

tuftsdaily. ^ | Published October 21, 2005 | Judith Wexler

[dennisw]

Published October 21, 2005 Undocumented students live in Massachusetts without benefits By Judith Wexler Daily Editorial Board The children of some undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts are not able to attend school because they are denied in-state tuition prices.

That was the claim of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) at a speech on campus Thursday in front of 20 students. Two representatives from the organization spoke about the problems faced by undocumented high school students and about their ongoing efforts to change the situation.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney vetoed legislation last year that would have allowed reduced tuition for undocumented students. Texas, California, Utah, Washington, New York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico have all passed similar legislation.

MIRA estimates 400 undocumented high school students each year are unable to attend college because of the prohibitive cost of out-of-state tuition. The group is now leading a push for a two-thirds majority in the Massachusetts state house necessary to override the veto.

Without documentation proving legal residence in the state, the cost of community college can rise from $3,000 to $10,000 per year, and going to a state school costs as much as $20,000. Students also encounter barriers when they try to apply to college without social security numbers.

The MIRA representatives were careful to point out that "undocumented" does not necessarily mean "illegal." When lower tuition is not available, the students have few options.

"What are you supposed to do?" MIRA representativa Carlos Saavedra said. "Work at McDonalds for $6.25 an hour when you're the most talented kid in the school?"

Although undocumented students do not qualify for in-state tuition at Massachusetts schools, their parents still pay taxes to the IRS and are tagged with tax identification numbers.

MIRA is organizing a rally at the state house on Tuesday to pressure legislators. They want 400 protestors to fill the grand staircase to represent each student that is unable to complete their education every year.

"We have to have something for these students right now, because federal immigration reform is going to take years," Saavedra said. He urged current college students to see this as a pressing social issue and to stand up and fight, calling the problems faced by immigrants "a new generation of segregation."

"Immigrants are the engine of this country," he said.

Saavedra said fear is one of the biggest obstacles facing undocumented students. "A lot of them are scared. They're scared that if they speak up they'll get arrested."

The event was sponsored by the University College of Citizenship and Public Service.

[taxed2death]

"The children of some undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts are not able to attend school because they are denied in-state tuition prices."

Ok, is there a problem with this?


I thought not.