The California Supreme Court is reviewing a lawsuit challenging AB 540, a state law that allows an estimated 25,000 undocumented students to receive in-state tuition.
And I say “hallelujah.”
The L.A. Times reported in-state tuition can be $19,000 lower than fees charged to out-of-state students annually. Undocumented students are not even legal residents of the United States, let alone California.
So how can undocumented students receive such financial aid while U.S. citizens empty their bank accounts?
To even consider the idea of allowing individuals, who do not legally reside here, access to higher education at a lower price than some U.S. citizens is unnecessary, especially during a statewide budget crisis.
Kris W. Kobach, a constitutional attorney who represents cities and states that fight illegal immigration, told the L.A. Times “If you give (in-state tuition) to illegal aliens, you have to give it to all U.S. citizens.”
Kobach also said lower tuition for undocumented students costs the state more than $200 million annually.
Undocumented students should not obtain any tuition assistance whatsoever from our country under any circumstances. If they are not willing to complete the requirements to obtain legal citizenship in America, then they do not deserve higher education benefits in America.
U.S. citizens and legal residents attempting to attain a degree are facing financial burdens as is. The fact undocumented students are even eligible to attend our colleges in the first place is absurd and unacceptable.
Justice Ming W. Chin was also quoted in the L.A. Times questioning that lower tuition for undocumented students may not make fiscal sense.
“In this budget climate, is this really a good idea? Can we afford it?” Chin said.
No, it is not a good idea and no, we cannot afford it.
Undocumented immigrants consciously decide not to participate in the processes that would grant them legal residency in this country.
If we continue to treat undocumented immigrants like legal residents, we’re allowing them to act as legal residents and therefore benefit as legal residents. In this case regarding in-state tuition, undocumented immigrants are actually receiving a better deal than some legal residents. It’s outrageous.
There’s zero motivation for them to obtain proper citizenship as long as we offer them a U.S. citizen’s lifestyle.
Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?
I have to blame the government for its inability to successfully uphold its rules and regulations.
Why even have boarders if we’re not going to properly enforce their existence? Why even have green cards or the naturalization process if we’re not going to force all immigrants to comply with these essential procedures?
Our failure to enforce consequences results in the spineless society we’re currently experiencing, bending and folding and bowing down to individuals who do not legally reside here.
We’re being taken advantage of, repeatedly, as we cut costs to let undocumented students enjoy our educational system and I’m stepping up to say it’s not okay as long as U.S. citizens pay full price.
Now, I realize that offering undocumented students the opportunity to receive an education might have its benefits. But, the question is, should they be receiving in-state tuition? Should they be eligible for a low-priced education while legal residents of America are stripped of cash thanks to enrollment fees?
Absolutely not.
Out-of-state students pay $27,892 to live on-campus and $18,678 to live off-campus here at CSUN while in-state students pay $17,772 for on-campus and only $8,508 off-campus.
To let undocumented students pay $10,120 to $10,170 less a year than out-of-state students is catastrophic considering the state of our economy. And that amount strictly encompasses CSUN alone. That amount refers to one student.
Our budget deficit leaves no room for financial loss of this magnitude. As Kobach suggests, it would only be fair to allow out-of-state legal citizens a degree discount as well. That’s tens of thousands of dollars thrown away during a time where we need to hastily attain billions.
Not to mention, the competition in college classrooms has caused futures to flicker and, for some, burn out completely.
How many U.S. citizens and legal residents attending colleges and universities have been put on a waiting list for required classes? How many didn’t even make the list? How many have been turned away from universities and colleges altogether?
Each undocumented students receiving in-state tuition is a direct slap in the face to each U.S. citizen being denied a proper education despite the big bucks they’re surrendering.
U.S. citizens and legal residents deserve first priority and if you disagree then consider allowing criminals free bail. Let’s start cutting all law-breakers a financial break and just banish the word illegal from our vocabulary if we’re going to ignore its meaning anyway.
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