What Do You Think?
By speakeasy
@speakeasy (4171)
United States
January 27, 2008 4:01pm CST
A lot of people have heard about the AZ law that penalizes businesses that hire illegla immigrants. But, few are aware of AZ Proposition 300 which also went into effect the beginning of this year.
Proposition 300 was voted in by AZ voters. It denies STATE tuition assistance and IN STATE resident rates to college students who cannot prove they are legal AZ residents. It does NOT require colleges to inform the government or anyone else about a student's immigration status. All it does is say that if you are NOT a legal resident of AZ you cannot receive AZ taxpayer dollars to fund your education.
Here is a link to the full story - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/us/27tuition.html?th&emc=th
The majority of the AZ voters felt that this was a fair law - allowing AZ taxpayer dollars to benefit legal AZ residents. Others have said this is "cruel".
What do you think?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
28 Jan 08
I find it fair. Because us legal citizens pay taxes why should I have to support someone who isn't legal to go to school in our country .. You want to come here and go to school file the paperwork and get the visa's that make you legal. that way you can get a job and pay taxes also.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
29 Jan 08
I know; we do offer a free education to everyone through grade 12. But, anyone who wishes to continue their education into college has to pay for it. Our states subsidize the college education for legal residents who they expect will remain in the state and contibute to the benefit of others who live in the state.
When out-of-state residents attend a state sposored scholl, they are required to pay the full cost of their college education; because we expect them to return to their home state after they finish their education.
Illegal immigrants can be deported at any time. So, I personally think, that as far as tuition goes, they should be treated the same as any other NON-RESIDENT.
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
30 Jan 08
I totally agree with you .. Good point about the out of state residents. Have a nice day.
@mytwo_daughters (2663)
• United States
28 Jan 08
I think it is appropriate. No offense to illegal immigrants, but if they want an education then become a citizen. I'm all for migrating if situations are bad, but we really DO need to take care of US first. If we don't we won't be able to take care of anyone else.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
29 Jan 08
I agree. If they were back in their home countries; most of those countries would require them to pay the full cost of a college education. The article said that was the case for the illegal immigrants who returned to Mexico to get a college degree. So I do not see any reason why they should not pay the full amount of any college tuition here.
Many local and state governments are rapidly getting deficits (or larger deficits). There is only so much money to go around and it should go to legal residents first. Helping illegal immigrants get college educations does NOT help the US; since, these people could be caught and deported at anytime. Then, they would be taking the education we gave them back to their home country and THAT country is the one that would benfit from their education; not us.
@Mondoh (147)
• United States
27 Jan 08
Slippery Slope... I have mixed feeling aboot this one...
Our entire country is based on immigrants, From England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Mexico (Mine) Africa (What R the six Flags over Texas? Mexico, France, Spain, Ourselves as a Republic, Us as a part of the Confederacy, & US as part of the 50 United States)...Why does Arizona consider itself any different?
I benefited from In-State Tuition in the 80's... Look at me, then look at my name, I live in Dallas, TX... not far from Farmer's Branch... I was born here, Florence Nightengale maternity ward at Baylor, It was a clear/cold night w/lots of stars in the sky... I remember it well... Yet I also graduated w/an Engineering Degree from Texas A&M...w/the States help...
I now carry ID just to take out the trash in my neighborhood...Much like Jews in East Germany in the 30's..."Do U have UR papers in order?" U think I'm kidding, I think not...
Yess UR Honor, We shot him 'bout 19 times cuz we thought he was carrying a grenade... Not our fault he was juss eatin' a pear... No billed by a jury of their peers... U think I'm kidding, I think not... Remember, This is Dallas, TX...
Slippery Slope,
AC
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
28 Jan 08
AZ just got tired of paying out tones of money for people who are not here legally when we have so many legal residents who need th ebenefits themselves AND the federal government has not been doing it's job.
I would also like to point out that we are not deporting these illegal residents. All we are doing is placing them in the SAME condition as a person who is a resident of any other of the 49 states. If you are not a lefgal AZ resident you cannot get AZ STATE Aid and IN - STATE resident rates for your college education. So if you were a resident of TX or NY and decided you wanted to go to a AZ college you would be paying non-resident rates. Illegal immigrants are LEGALLY residents of another COUNTRY so why should they get rates that other US citizens don't even get?
Other states have the same types of rules about college funding EXCEPT that they are still giving illegal immigrants the SAME benefits as their own citizens. If a person from AZ wanted to go to college in another state, they would have to pay non-resident rates in that state.
@Adoniah (7512)
• United States
28 Jan 08
Actually, that is true in most states. If you are not a resident of Fl., you pay much higher tuition rates than Fl. residents do, and it has nothing to do with illegal aliens. It has always been that way. When my oldest daughter wanted to go to school in Mo. I had to sign guardianship over to her Uncle so that they would not have to pay for her to finish high school and then go to college. That certainly had nothing to do with illegal aliens. My daughter is an American and her Uncle was born in Mo.
That is not a cruel law. Our taxes help support our State schools, so those of us who live in the state, and pay taxes should get a break and all others should pay full pop. Its not that the others are paying "more". It is that the legal residents are getting a"break" and paying "less".
Shalom~Adoniah
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
28 Jan 08
That is right, AZ is just making sure that legal residents are getting a break and paying less. But, before Prop 300 was passed all they had to prove was that they did live in this state and we were footing the bill giving them preferential rates and student aid.
Many other states are still only checking for a physical address and they are still providing illegal immigrants with low tuition and finacial aid; even though they are really citizens of some other country. All of these funds could be used to help students who are REALLY state residents get a college education. There are so many students competing for fewer and fewer funds; that maybe it is time for other states to take thsi same step.
