In State Tuitions Free For Aliens

[Janice]

US Citizens have to save or get loans for college. What is your feeling when you hear illegal aliens can qualify for free tuitions?

[CajunMama]

That should just NOT be allowed. There are more underpriviledged citizens who could benefit from the free tuition.

We're lucky here in LA. There is a program called TOPS in which the state pays most of the tuition of a LA high school graduate meeting certain GPA & ACT/SAT requirements. It's nice only having to spend about $2000 a year on the balance of his tuition and books.

[CentralFlGal]

I'm absolutely against subsidizing free secondary education for illegal immigrants by paying my ever-increasing tuition bills.

No. No. No. I don't care if they have an arm growing out of their head - if you want to go to college here, BECOME A CITIZEN.

Why is this even an issue? Where has common sense gone in this country?

[TexasStooge]

That should just NOT be allowed. There are more underpriviledged citizens who could benefit from the free tuition.

Amen to that.

[gtalum]

I'd be curious to see an actual example of an illegal alien given free college tuition by the government.

[Aslkahuna]

Actually, there are no states that give free tuition to illegals, but there are states that give illegals in state tuition which is less than that paid by US Citizens who come from out of state.

Steve

[GalvestonDuck]

Simply couldn't help but think of Forrest Gump when his classmate told him "coons" were trying to "get into the school."

"Aliens? When aliens try to get on our back porch, Momma just chase 'em off with a phaser."

(Please note, I'm quoting the movie. I know the derogatory context of the word "coons" and do not use it myself.)

[azsnowman]

HEL*, WHY NOT They've taken over Arizona, they get FREE HEALTH care, FOOD STAMPS.....why NOT educate them AH WELL.....at least I won't be seeing too many of them working CI....when I was on patrol, every OTHER person was ILLEGAL!

Dennis

[Aslkahuna]

I wouldn't bet that because you are on CI that you won't run into illegals-there are lots of them here for reasons other than finding a good job.

Steve

[JenBayles]

http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/undocumented.phtml

Excerpt (long article):

Financial Aid and Scholarships for Undocumented Students
This page contains information about financial aid and scholarships for undocumented students and illegal aliens. (The terms "undocumented student", "illegal alien", and "illegal immigrant" are used interchangeably and intentionally in this page to enable this page to be found by students who are trying to find information about scholarships for undocumented students.)

Financial aid is generally not available for undocumented students and illegal aliens. The majority of all student aid, including Federal student aid, requires the recipient to be a US citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) or an eligible non-citizen. There are, however, a few states that allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition rates. There are also several private scholarships available to undocumented students.

In-State Tuition

There is a conflict between Federal and State law regarding the eligibility of undocumented students for in-state tuition rates.

Federal law passed in 1996 prohibits illegal aliens from receiving in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education. Specifically, Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Title 8, Chapter 14, Sec. 1623) states: "an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State ... 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."

Several states -- Texas, California, New York, Utah, Illinois, Washington, Oklahoma, and Kansas -- have passed state laws providing in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens who have attended high school in the state for three or more years. Similar legislation is pending in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland (legislation passed, but awaiting governor's signature), Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. (Wisconsin also passed such a law, but the governor vetoed it.) Also, some schools in Georgia provide in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens. The Texas law also allows illegal aliens to receive state student financial aid.

These state laws attempt to circumvent the federal law by simply not asking students whether they are in the US legally. (The California law, AB 540, requires the student to file an affidavit that he/she has filed an application to legalize his/her immigration status or intends to file an application as soon as he/she is eligible to do so. So California doesn't even attempt to maintain the fiction that the school is unaware of the student's immigration status.) They also circumvent the law by basing eligibility for in-state tuition

on attendance of an in-state high school and not on state residence.

[Kelarie]

US Citizens have to save or get loans for college. What is your feeling when you hear illegal aliens can qualify for free tuitions?

No, No and more NO!!!! Free tuitions should go to citizens. I wont start my ranting.

[azsnowman]

I wouldn't bet that because you are on CI that you won't run into illegals-there are lots of them here for reasons other than finding a good job.

Steve

I know......I was being a BIT sarcastic here Steve!! You know as well as I do that the MAJORITY of crimes in Az. are now being carried out by illegals.

Dennis

[pojo]

Wisconsin...

In order to qualify for in-state tuition, you need to be a Wisconsin resident for at least 9 months PRIOR to entering any Wisconsin Colleges (public or private)...

If you are a non-resident in a 2 year college (Tech and UW System 2 years) changing enrollment status from out-of-state to in-state is not an option.

[cswitwer]

First, I just have to ask why we call illegal immigrants "aliens"?

And dude, are you sure the majority of crimes in AZ are committed by non-residents? I mean, that's a pretty over-reaching stereotype. You got any statistics to back that up?