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California Considers Granting Illegal Immigrants In-State Tuition Rates
CNS News ^ | September 4, 2001 | John Rossomando

Posted on 09/05/2001 2:50:41 PM PDT by Mercuria

The California Assembly is considering legislation that would extend in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants who have graduated from California high schools.

Assemblymen Marco Firebaugh (D-Los Angeles) and Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) said their legislation would create a level playing field for all high school graduates in the state, regardless of their immigration status.

The California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR), however, insists billions of dollars are already spent to educate illegal immigrants and that the Firebaugh-Maldonado bill would reward lawbreakers.

"There [are] a great number of students in California that have worked hard academically and have been able to achieve," said Firebaugh's Press Secretary Ricardo Lara. "What we're seeing and hearing is that when the kids graduate from high school, and get accepted to various public colleges and universities throughout the state, [they] are forced to pay three times the tuition rate [compared with in-state students]."

Lara claims that many of the students being granted in-state tuition have come into the country illegally because of their parents rather than their own individual actions.

"The stories that we have been hearing are that a lot of these kids have been here since they were the age of one. Obviously the parents brought them over, so they had no idea that they were undocumented and they had no idea that they were 'illegal'," he said. "We can't blame the kids for what their parents did.

"Since the high schoolers cannot initiate the process of legalization themselves, unless obviously they are over the age of 18," Lara said. "What our thinking is, is that these kids are here for most of their lives, they are not going to go anywhere, so the best we can do is to at least help them get an education."

Lara argues that illegal immigrant students are a lost resource, who would be much better used than high tech workers who are imported from abroad.

"They are not getting any benefits, [and] they still are going to have to pay tuition," he said. "We're putting these students at a higher standard," because these students have to have lived in California for three years and graduated from a California high school, compared to the one-year requirement for out of state residents who move to California.

Mexican-American advocates are pleased with the Firebaugh-Maldonado bill that currently sits in the Appropriations Committee of the California Senate.

"We think it is a good thing that the state is not dealing with immigration law, but dealing with education policy for its state and its students," said Liz Guillen, legislative counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF). "They (illegal immigrants) have been in this state for years.

"The way the bill is written, out-of-state students can get this if they cross the border and attend high school here, so this doesn't [bill] distinguish on the basis of immigration status," she said.

Guillen is confident of the bill's passage because its sponsors have been working with Democratic Gov. Gray Davis's office to craft a bill to the governor's liking.

Guillen shares Lara's belief that granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants will help make them productive members of society, and limit their need for state social services such as welfare.

"We think that the benefits that the state will enjoy as a result of these students [receiving an] education will be beyond what people are concerned about at the moment," Guillen said.

Davis is waiting to see the final form of the bill before deciding whether to support it, according to his spokesman, Roger Salazar.

However, the bill has stiff opposition from the California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR), which complains that California residents are already required to pay billions of dollars to pay for the education of illegal immigrants.

"The money that we already pay to educate them from K-12 is already in the multi-billions," said CCIR Chairwoman Barbara Coe. "Now we are supposed to stand quietly by and then double or triple it to put them through college. I don't think so.

"You have students from other states who are forced to pay out-of-state tuition while you lawbreakers are given carte blanche, so we oppose it very, very strongly, and we're fighting it as best as we can," she said.

Coe indicates that CCIR would like to legally challenge the bill if Davis signs it into law, but adds that the group does not have enough money to pursue such a lawsuit.


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To: Mercuria
Stinks. You taxes to educate illegal aliens
21 posted on 09/05/2001 3:40:22 PM PDT by dennisw
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To: Rowdee
....when's the rest of Mexico moving in?

Funny you should mention this. I was just sitting here thinking about the day we go to our mailbox and find a letter from the government that will require us to board a Mexican family.

We give them everything else - might as well let them have my last pair of Fruit of the Looms!!

22 posted on 09/05/2001 3:43:10 PM PDT by Brownie74
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To: Mercuria
". Obviously the parents brought them over, so they had no idea that they were undocumented and they had no idea that they were 'illegal'," he said. "We can't blame the kids for what their parents did."

B S </font size=6>Old enough to be a high school graduate, smart enough to be accepted into a college and "had no idea" they were undocumented!?!? Give me a break, you have assemblymen willing to let someone blatantly pull the wool over their eyes.

I'm truly sorry for your state of affairs.

23 posted on 09/05/2001 3:43:14 PM PDT by Dust in the Wind
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To: HEFFERNAN2
Assemblyman Abel Maldonado

Capitol Office:
State Capitol, Room 4015
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-2033
(916) 319-2133 fax

District Office:
1302 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 549-3381
(805) 549-3400 fax


Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh

Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Phone: (916) 319-2050
Fax: (916) 319-2150

District Office
7501 Atlantic Avenue
Suite D
Cudahy, CA 90201
Phone: (323) 562-7880
Fax: (323) 562-2380

24 posted on 09/05/2001 3:48:23 PM PDT by Mercuria (burnupthephonesnfaxes@ca-assembly.gov!)
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To: Mercuria
A citizen of Arizona has to pay higher rates than a citizen of Mexico! How have these people gotten so far without being deported? K-12, now college, and no one has questioned their citizenship? Liberal programs and quasi-open-borders are a dangerous combination.
25 posted on 09/05/2001 3:54:24 PM PDT by tenderstone jr.
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To: MissAmericanPie
We have the same here in Texas, in-state tuition rates for their college education,

Well then, it must be from the hands of God.

Don't dare object!

"Two legs baaaaaad!, four legs good!"

Cheers,

Richard F.

26 posted on 09/05/2001 3:54:35 PM PDT by rdf
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To: Mercuria
I just watched Peter Jennings on ABC. He said that in Washington, world leaders come and go but Vicente Fox gets more attention than most. Bush looked like he was totally lost.
27 posted on 09/05/2001 3:56:08 PM PDT by Brownie74
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To: Mercuria
Have you seen this thread, Mercuria? Now Bush is seriously considering using HIS (negligibly argued) executive privilege to protect Clinton. So he not only bends over for Fox, he bends over for Clinton, too.
28 posted on 09/05/2001 4:01:54 PM PDT by HalfIrish
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To: Mercuria
State Sovereignty Socialism is here. Sit down shut up and do as you are told or else we all will have to pay for your misdeeds! The good peoples, American citizens and illegal aliens have voted in the present government and you do not count anymore.

If you think I don't comprehend the situation, ask your President. He will tell you I am one of the few who is fully aware of what is happening in these United States.

Now, I will go into the bedroom and continue to cry with the Founders.

29 posted on 09/05/2001 4:19:41 PM PDT by B4Ranch
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To: Mercuria
"What our thinking is, is that these kids are here for most of their lives, they are not going to go anywhere,

I can think of a place that they can go.

30 posted on 09/05/2001 4:35:55 PM PDT by sarcasm
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To: Mercuria
Thank you very much for the information...These guys are going to get flamed by the Irishman. Semper Fi, Mike
31 posted on 09/05/2001 4:42:28 PM PDT by HEFFERNAN2
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To: Mercuria,starfan,racebannon,firebrand,EvilC,healy22,Arleigh
BTTTT....
32 posted on 09/05/2001 5:03:34 PM PDT by Dutchy
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To: Mercuria
I say let 'em give them the tuition. Then these illegals will get a better education, take their jobs, and vote their own government in - either throwing out the Socialists, or putting worse in. Who cares? Kalifornia's gone. Just about anything would beat what is in there now.

Yup. Give the illegals a chance to take over Kalifornia, fair and square. Just don't let those fleeing Kali as immigrants come to my state. Seal the borders of Kali with the AZ, NV and OR National Guard, and shoot to kill. They caused their own problems in theirs! We don't need their idiotic Socialism in ours.

A Pox on their house, if they plan to pass laws like these. Let 'em reap what they sow.

33 posted on 09/05/2001 5:06:11 PM PDT by Gritty
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To: Mercuria
Guess 'illegal' is the operative word. Maybe Bush and California will grant amnesty to any Little Leaguer faking his age and allow them to compete. Depends on what the meaning of 'illegal is' is. Does it have anything to do with laws or does it have to do with vote pandering?
34 posted on 09/05/2001 5:22:09 PM PDT by ex-snook
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To: Mercuria
They never should have received K-12 education to begin with. Their parents should have received temporary work visas and when their parents' temporary work visas expired, the whole family should have been sent home. Naturally if they have thought of themselves as just like legal residents and citizens for all these years, they are going to demand in-state college tuition rates too. I think it's too late. Unless everybody really gets mad, it's already too late.
35 posted on 09/05/2001 6:04:52 PM PDT by firebrand
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To: Mercuria
I think Texas already did this. The insanity continues.
36 posted on 09/05/2001 6:33:24 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: firebrand
You may be right. We are being sold out. No question.
37 posted on 09/05/2001 6:34:48 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: Mercuria
When will the insanity stop?
38 posted on 09/05/2001 6:50:12 PM PDT by Keyes For President
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To: Mercuria
I thought I heard that New Jersey was considering allowing illegal aliens to vote in local elections.

Did anyone else hear this today on radio news? Is this true?

39 posted on 09/05/2001 6:56:43 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: Keyes For President
It doesn't look good when you have the President of Mexico at the White House today, making dead lines, on demands.
40 posted on 09/05/2001 6:59:16 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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