Mass. college offers illegal immigrant scholarship

AZFamily.com ^ | August 23, 2012 | AP

[South40]

BOSTON (AP) — A small liberal arts college in western Massachusetts is offering a new scholarship to illegal immigrants.

Hampshire College officials say the endowment and scholarship will finance one student's education every four years. The student will get at least $25,000 in scholarship annually, beginning this fall.

[Mr. K]

WHAT the EFFING EFF???

WHAT PART OF “ILLEGAL” DONT THEY UNDERSTAND????

[stephenjohnbanker]

2nd rate college in Mass. shows us why it is second rate : )

[Carriage Hill]

Quotes from Ben Stein:

“Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen.”

Now add this,

“Many of those who refuse, or are unable, to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who are forced to buy insurance because they are citizens.”

WTF!

[grumpygresh]

Wouldn’t this be a conspiracy to commit an illegal action or at least suborning an illegal action? I wonder if this could be the basis for some type of claim against this institution.

[Temujinshordes]

One of you practitioners of jurisprudence, please tell me where the following thought process comes from: “The admission of illegal immigrants into U.S. colleges does not violate federal or state laws.” How can it not violate federal law when by definition, an illegal immigrant has no right to be in the country? If you tell me that it is illegal for them to enter the country without proper documentation but is not illegal for them to BE in the country without proper documentation, I will probably just kick a tree or something.

[South40]

If this scholarship is for ILLEGAL aliens exclusively and US citizens do not qualify, it pushes the envelope and is possibly a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1623(a).

(a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State (or a political subdivision) for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit (in no less an amount, duration, and scope) without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1623

[x]

One of you practitioners of jurisprudence, please tell me where the following thought process comes from: “The admission of illegal immigrants into U.S. colleges does not violate federal or state laws.” How can it not violate federal law when by definition, an illegal immigrant has no right to be in the country? If you tell me that it is illegal for them to enter the country without proper documentation but is not illegal for them to BE in the country without proper documentation, I will probably just kick a tree or something.

As I understand it, it depends on whether the laws are enforced or not. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is famous for having said, "Technically, it's not illegal to be illegal in Massachusetts." She's charged with enforcing the laws, so what's "illegal" isn't illegal when she chooses not to enforce the laws.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Thanks for the link.

[tsomer]

Why not offer certain scholarships for some illegals—on the condition that they return after four years? That’s enough time to get a degree if they want one. Their stay could be extended for some, based on their proposals and business plans, for purpose of raising capital.

The thing is, their education should benefit their own country— to the extent of the benefit that any degree offers. That would be basis in principle.

Economic development in their country would reduce the need for them to come here and strengthen the middle class—a potential bulwark against corruption.

[Andy'smom]

They won’t get much of an education. Hampshire College is for stoners.