California Illegal Immigrants Receive In-state College Tuition Advantage
The California Supreme Court has decreed that illegal immigrants may continue to receive in-state college tuition rates at CA state universities, so long as they meet the high school requirement, writes the LA Times. Supporters of immigrant causes have trumpeted the landmark lawful security. Yet lawful residents who have lost their jobs or benefits during California’s budget crisis are singing a different tune.
In-state college tuition protection producing history with records
The law within the nation hasn’t ever been challenged before in this way as the California court’s protection of in-state college tuition eligibility for undocumented immigrants is going through. In-state tuition is granted to illegal immigrant students if they have had three years of high school experience within the state. This is the law in California as well as in nine other states. A state college would make illegal immigrants pay out of state tuition until the students could get their status changed. They would have to become residents of the state before getting cheaper tuition.
Modify costs an excessive amount of to complete
It’s unfair to give benefits to undocumented immigrants while there are students who are in the country legally who need the in-state college tuition more. In the University of California system, the in-state tuition benefit saves illegal immigrants an estimated $23,000 or more per academic year. There was an estimated 25,000 undocumented students paying in-state college tuition, accounts the Immigration Reform Law Institute in WA, D.C. These are just within the state of California. Over $200 million is what the state ends up paying for it.
Federal law and in-state tuition ruling
Undocumented immigrants are not allowed to get higher education benefits depending on residency based on the federal law. Ralph Kasarda, an attorney using the Pacific Lawful Foundation, points out that the in-state college tuition ruling seems to run afoul of federal law. There will have to be an appeal to the United States of America Supreme Court more than likely.
“California is not in sync with the federal mandate against giving Brownie points for being an illegal immigrant,” Kasarda told the Los Angeles Times.
Officials in CA say there is no problem. No issue needs to be resolved. Anybody who has attended CA high schools for at least three years should be given in-state college tuition by public colleges, which is what they say under the state’s nonresident college tuition exemption. Lawful status is not looked at. CA doesn’t considered immigration status.
Citations
LA Times
latimes.com/news/local/la-me-illegal-students-20101116,0,2917015.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+latimes/mostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29
America, the land of priorities
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