A group called Campus Reform just shot out a press release regarding a proposed bill currently sponsored by 34 Texas A&M student senators that will at least be discussed tonight.
The bill, it seems, voices opposition to giving in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. Granted, it really doesn’t have a ton of teeth (refraining here from Aggie joke), and won’t really change anything. But would you like to see what it says? Let’s jump.
A&M Student Senators Propose Bill Against In-State Tuition for Illegals
COLLEGE STATION, TX — Three student senators at Texas A&M University have introduced a bill in the Student Senate to “oppose measures to give in-state tuition to persons residing in the United States illegally.”
“It’s just isn’t right for illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition, especially when there are many out-of-state, legal residents paying more,” said Justin Pulliam, student senator for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Pulliam is one of the three senators introducing the bill.
This past Saturday a few students and former students started a Facebook group entitled “Aggies Against In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens.” It currently has over 1,100 members.
“The outpouring of support for this bill from the student body has been encouraging,” said Steven Crumpley, Off-Campus Student Senator. “But it has also caused quite a stir on campus, which is good. We welcome student input and participation.”
The bill currently has 34 student sponsors. It will be discussed and possibly voted on tonight at 8pm in Rudder 601 at Texas A&M University.
Well, it is true that about 12,000 students a year benefit from a law providing for in-state tuition, and according to a recent article in the Dallas Morning News, that totals about one percent of all students attending state universities. Of those 12,000, some are here illegally.
But it sounds like that is by design, and at the approval of one former Aggie yell leader – Rick Perry. The original idea was to give these students — many of whom came into the U.S. with their families as youngsters and have been attending public schools in Texas and have done everything their here legally peers have done to obtain admittance to a university — a chance to earn their citizenship and their college degree.
But the plan – which hinged also on the Dream Act passing – has stalled out. Perry touts it still, and says these students will earn their citizenship, but until that act passes, no, they won’t. Instead, they’ll be highly-educated illegal immigrants who cannot get jobs in their chosen profession in the United States.
UPDATE: A very nice Frontburnervian alerted me this morning to the fact that the senate deferred action and sent the vote back to committee.
15 comments
That’s one way to de-diversify your campus, Aggie Nation. Good job!
@Spamboy: Um, it’s kinda not diverse right now.
Radicals….you risk being called a bigot believing that illegal is illegal
I just happen to believe that justice should be tempered with mercy. In many cases, these kids came over with their parents. They had no say in where they grew up, or the circumstances.
Plenty of people have parents that do illegal things when they’re children. But we do not punish the child for the sins of the father, so to speak.
To me, this issue is separate from the common illegal immigration debate. I have no problem granting amnesty to children of illegal immigrants, because they did not choose to cross the border illegally. It was a decision made for them by their parents.
I don’t understand the groups position. If they opposed illegal immigrants attending at all, I would disagree but understand the position. The in-state vs. out-of-state issue doesn’t make sense to me. I believe that the biggest source of funds for A&M is the state appropriation. In Texas we raise money through sales and property taxes and corporate franchise taxes. Illegal immigrants pay, either directly or indirectly through rents, both sales and property taxes. Many of the businesses that pay franchise tax make sales to illegal immigrants.
If it was a decision made by their parents then any student living in a different state should not be punished either? Right?
No one really gets to tell their parents where they want to live. Why would it be fair to let illegal immigrants pay in-state tuition but not out of state students?
Also, what does illegal mean? I keep forgetting.
I don’t understand opposition to this bill. If I were an out-of-state student paying big bucks to go to A&M or another Texas (or any!) state school, while someone who isn’t a citizen and who is here illegally paid less…I would definitely feel like I was getting the short end of the stick.
Nothing wrong with non-citizens attending public school, in fact, its a benefit, but they should certainly have to pay more to do so!
They won’t be happy till A&M is 99.5% White (must have a few football and basketball players).
Anyone remember when the President of A&M at her graduation refused to shake the hand of the girl that sued A&M for sex discrimination and won?
Stay classy Agggies.
Who knew that a Class B Misdemeanor gave White Goopers the right to kick immigrants down stairs why shouting “Illegal”?
Why would this hurt diversity? There are plenty of minorities that are here legally that would love to attend Texas A&M: African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, etc.
I wasn’t aware that all illegal aliens were of the same race. I am betting there are even caucasian illegal aliens.
From what i can tell, this doesn’t punish kids for their parents illegal activities, it ensures they don’t benefit from them.
“I wasn’t aware that all illegal aliens were of the same race”
You can’t possibly be that stupid, we all know that when people in Texas refer to “illegals” they’re talking about Hispanics, read a history book you might learn something, like 100 years of discrimination.
No one get upset with Irish flags during St. Pat, is only Mexican Flags that “prove” “illegals” hate America.
Why should illegal immigrants have a break before tax paying citizens do? Hello they shouldn’t?!?! The answer is simple and it’s long overdue.
Mmmm… I understand why people are upset, but the ‘out of state’ argument doesn’t really fly with me. People who don’t live in Texas have the option of attending a university in their state for a lower price… if all the Texas universities adopted this tack, then the children of illegals wouldn’t have this option. I think it’s better, in the long run, to have more qualified college graduates and a stronger economy rather than pricing people out of a degree from spite.
Also: I feel like I’m taking crazy pills, but a lot of illegal immigrants actually do pay taxes – they get taken out of their paychecks by employers who don’t want to get busted for tax evasion. The IRS is even in on this one; immigrants just get tax ID numbers instead of using a SSN. What’s more, they actually make *more* of a contribution than most citizens do – they’re never going to be able to collect social security benefits, use medicare, food stamps, etc.
“Granted, it really doesn’t have a ton of teeth (refraining here from Aggie joke), and won’t really change anything.”
Ouch… sounds like someone was a little disgruntled that they didn’t attend a top tier institution. But maybe the fact that she grew up out of state kept her from being able to receive in state tuition – surprising. The only reason people make “Aggie jokes” is because they can’t seem to figure out why Aggies get the best jobs and make the most money. A&M was rated a top value amongst public institutions and #1 for highest income return 10 years after graduating. So, keep the jokes coming… I know the value of my A&M degree.
I use my red raider common sense to tip my hat to this group. I use my 20 years of living in el paso to realize that many will use my desire to lock down our borders to paint me as a bigot. Troy hambrick asked “what do voluntary mean”?
What do illegal mean?
La raza won’t be happy until it’s a completely open border…..I won’t be happy until we mean business on the border and e verify.