California Supreme Court to Take On Discounted Tuition for Illegal Immigrants
Should illegal immigrants pay discounted tuition rates at state colleges? The California Supreme Court is expected to take up that question later this year when it hears arguments on the constitutionality of California's law granting in-state tuition to undocumented students. Expect educators and lawmakers across the country to pay close attention to the case. The outcome will likely influence other states' college tuition policies for immigrant students who are not legal U.S. residents. At least nine states offer tuition breaks to illegal immigrants who meet certain conditions, including Illinois, Kansas, and New York.
Last August, U.S. News reported on the growing pressure that states face to ban illegal immigrants from public colleges and universities as well as to repeal in-state tuition benefits for those students, no matter their academic qualifications. Lawyers challenging California's tuition policy in the case Martinez v . Regents of the University of California say the state's public colleges and universities are violating a 1996 federal law that prohibits taxpayer-funded institutions from giving benefits to undocumented immigrants that are not also given to U.S. citizens. Out-of-state U.S. citizens are required to pay considerably higher fees than California students, regardless of citizenship status. UC officials say the state law was crafted to comply with federal law. Most students who have qualified for the discounted tuition are legal U.S. citizens, they say, including students who live in other states but attended a California high school, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Federal lawmakers, who will likely try again this year to reach an agreement on comprehensive immigration reform, could also be influenced by the outcome of the case.
Tags: California | immigration | education
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Reader Comments
illegal immigrants and in-state college tuition
Response to Laura J of AZ:
Laura, it is not a question of whether you are a good and responsible person or not. The question is if a non-U.S. Citizen should receive preference over a U.S. Citizen with regard to tuition discounts at State schools. If I went to Mexico illigally, should Mexico give me tuition aid and deny a legal Mexican Citizen the same aid? Is this equitable or even logical?
Illegal immigration and what we do know about it!!!
Having REAL AMERICAN citizens paying more for school is rediculous and letting immigrants pay less.....for what? it makes me sick to think that we are now giving them discounts for school tuition. American students should have first priority when it comes to education and they should not be denied access to a school because an illegal was granted a discount.
illegal immigration and what you don't know about it
I have read the above comments and am positively mortified at the absolute ignorance that people show. So illegal immigrants are just dirty Mexicans who come to contaminate the United Staes, is that right? Well, as an immigrant, I would like to point out that I hold a 3.8 GPA at my high school, hold down three Advanced Placement classes at my school, and do not drink, do drugs, party, or even drive, for heaven's sake! Ironically, the majority of the kids at my school that do those things are legal U.S. citizens, because they know that they won't ever have the fear of being deported. I do not do hose things simply out of fear, but out of my own choice, because i actually do retain moral fiber that other kids my age happen to lack. I consider myself a good, decent, 17-year-old girl, and i am frustrated by the ignorance that people hold when they think of the word immigrant. If you were to see me, you would think me being Caucasian, or most likely half-white, half-Mexican. Most kids do; they are astonished to find out that i am full and proud Mexican, much less an immigrant! I'm sure any person of dignity and respect would treat me equally, not as an eneducated, ungrateful alien. Just read my above words, for this is how i speak in real life. Next time, educate yourselves on the well meaning of immigrants before you that trash, you ignoramuses!
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