Senator Tom McClintock
Date: May 10, 2004
Publication Type: Column

This year, nearly 7,500 qualified California residents – who would otherwise be entering California state universities as incoming freshmen – are likely to be turned away for lack of funds.

Meanwhile, approximately 7,500 illegal immigrants will receive heavily subsidized university educations at a cost of between $45 million and $65 million annually at those same universities.
Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture?

Under a law signed in 2001 by Gov. Gray Davis, an illegal alien who has graduated from a California high school after three years of attendance – all while in violation of U.S. immigration laws – is entitled to attend a community college or state university at the in-state tuition rate previously reserved for legal California residents.

The subsidy is substantial. At the University of California, proposed student fees for a California resident will be $6,028 next year. Non-residents will pay the full cost of $22,504. The difference is paid by California taxpayers.

Under this bizarre law, American citizens from other states pay more than three times as much as illegal aliens to attend California schools. An American citizen who moves to California from Arizona will pay $12,946 to attend the California State University. While she is waiting tables to pay her tuition costs, her taxes will be used to subsidize illegal immigrants who are paying only $2,776 to attend the same school.

Perhaps even more galling is the inequity this creates for legal immigrants. Consider two students from Mexico. One has obeyed every immigration law to come to California legally. He applied for the appropriate visas, paid all the fees, ran the gauntlet of applications, and met every requirement for a student visa. The other has broken every immigration law to attend a California high school for the last three years and is in the United States illegally.

The immigrant who respected and obeyed our nation’s laws will be charged $22,504 per year to attend the University of California, while the illegal immigrant who disrespected and disobeyed the law will pay only $6,028.

What rationale is offered to defend this stark and obvious injustice?

One argument is that many of these students were brought illegally to California by their parents and had no choice in the matter. That may be true, but they are no longer children. They are now of legal age. And as responsible adults, they have an obligation to obey the laws of this nation and that begins with gaining legal entry into the United States – as millions of legal immigrants have done.

Another argument is that many of these students are disadvantaged and the subsidy is the only way they can afford a university education to obtain skilled jobs. But under federal law it is illegal to employ them in those jobs.

Finally, it is said that many of these students have been in the United States for many years, and the law requires that they promise to apply for legal residency in the future. But why is it that the longer a person has broken a law the more excusable it becomes? A student who is serious about becoming an American citizen and assimilating into American society would first obtain legal admission to the United States and then seek the benefits of citizenship – not the other way around.

Here is the great imponderable: why do legislators of both parties continue to defend this law at a time when thousands of California citizens are about to be turned away from their own university system? Last month, I authored Senate Bill 1503 to repeal the in-state tuition subsidy for illegal immigrants. When heard by the Senate Education Committee, it received only one vote – Senator Pete Knight of Antelope Valley. Every other senator – Republican and Democrat – voted to maintain the subsidy for illegal aliens at the expense of California students.

Everett Dirksen once said, “When they feel the heat, they see the light.” If Californians want rationality restored to university tuitions and admissions, it’s time to turn up the heat.
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Yeah, I know this is a pretty old article but it was still interesting to read. WHY are they giving money to illegals? American citizens are getting screwed cause of those people. Just so sick of them all. We need to make better laws to protect our borders and to hunt out illegal immigrants inside the states.

What part of *illegal* do they not understand? Let's reward everyone that comes here illegally by paying for their education, therefore, turning away legal citizens.

Let's reward people for continuing to have babies they can't afford and let them sit home on their butts all day while the kids run the streets. Then, when the kids end up in jail we can just pay for them then too.

RANT RANT

Your tax money, hard at work. Sickening isn't it? The whole world these days, it seems, is out to take away the money from those who work hard and earn it, and give it to those who simply do not deserve a penny of it.

That happens in britian as well ,makes me sick to the back teeth

When's there going to be a backlash against PC?

That's just about what I was going to say. It's like they are rewarding them for being here illegaly...great idea...gotta love the government sometimes.

aarrrgggghhhhhhhh

My opinion is to understand why these people leave their homeland?
The only reason they come to a prosperous country is out of desperation from a life of poverty. Have any of you ever lived in poverty? Have you seen people living in poverty? What would you tell these people who have no food, clean water or homes. Why do they come here? I want a real warm-blooded response to this issue instead cold-blooded ones. Seriously, what would you do in this situation?

Well I'm not in this situation. America isn't a place to run to when things get tough. We can't help everybody. Illegals are draining our money that is intended for citizens. Not some criminals. Cause thats all they are CRIMMINALS! For all we know they could be terrorists. Whats the crime rate for illegals? 1% is even to high for illegals, this place is for citizens and legal residents. Give them pity? I think NOT!

So what? They come here out of desperation? They're illegal! I don't understand how ILLEGAL immigrants are getting money from the government.

Besides, I can't afford half the things these "desperate" people can.. I mean, they're the only people I ever see checking out the 40 inch plasma telivisions. College.. I'll continue paying off loans for many many years to come.

these problems are everywhere, and will continue on for a very long time as it is hard to border control every little section of your country.
australia has been having boat-loads of illegal immigrants, due to the fact our coastline is massive and impossible to control.
we have been thought of as a cruel country due to the fact that the illegal immigrants (or queue jumpers) are held in dention centres until we can find out exactly who these ppl are, where they came from and their background. they pay upwards of 10 K (aud) each to come here.
all i can say is send them on the first plane back. it is not fair for the ppl who are trying to obtain legal citizenship that are waiting for a very long time to become an australian citizen. these illegals get free food, board. medical care, free access to the internet and are able to contact their relatives. but they go crazy.. trashing the place, sewing eye lids closed and eyelids... maybe it is a desperate bid to get out. i cannot say for sure.. but we have to know who these ppl are before they come into our country.

I agree with tigger on this one..

i lived and worked with kids in London for 2 years... I worked with kids from Kosovo, Somalia, Albania...the list goes on..very hard to deal with them...and there problems...

I was teaching this one boy named Agim...He was an Albanian refugee who had seen his whole family die in the war...He lived in greece and italy before he moved to London... Agim was 19 years old...so he told me...and was in year 11.....when i asked my boss if this was true...he said alot of families, or people use false documentation to lie about there age... they therefore go to school and get child benifits from the government.....sad but true

Not all Immigrants are Criminals, prove it.
Your ancestors were immigrants and you have the audacity to declare that the land on this planet soley belongs to you.
No you are wrong.
I don't even know where to begin with these idiotic statements.
Strictly speaking for the people from USA, young man, when you come home from school today, I want you to go to your nearest Department of Human Services and ask your questions to them. And when your done, give the Department of Social Security a call to.
You are wrong and you seriously need to go face to face to these places to learn the truth.
And as for the person of a different race & culture buying a plasma tv... it's none of your business if they do and let me tell you they are not on government assistance if they can purchase items like this. They probably have a job and you know what else, they are probably citizens.
I think the only problem with you is your jealous of other's, plain and simple.
To have this believe about people is rather intrusive, I mean honestly, how in the world do you know for a fact, A FACT, that what you believe in is true????
Have you been inside their homes, looking through their private belongings???
You don't have proof, you are just assuming.
Your wrong wrong wrong. You have absolutely no idea first hand, what you are speaking about unless you are in their shoes and in their situation and I asked the question, What would you do?????

My response to this is Why Do Immigrants Leave Their Homelands, places of memories and traditions, places where they were already accepted, why why why would they even decide to leave?
It's because of their governments, illness and poverty.
You know, I am Native American. It wouldn't be very nice if I said, "Okay we are fed up with all of you immigrants ruining our country with your waste and social ways. You have been here long enough, I mean honestly, We shared a nice meal with you but you have over stayed your visit. We don't like your food and stop checking-out our women! Your music sucks! You call that dancing?
Go back from where you came!

no problem if they come in legally and take the oath of citizenship. yes problem sneaking in to give birth on this border, sneaking in and lying, sneaking in and getting a false ID to get a job here, sneaking in and taking advantage of socialist programs intended for our citizens without putting anything into the systems. Do it the right way like most people's immigrant ancestors, that's all.

That's right Celumnaz....

We're not talking about all immigrants pisces, we're talking about ILLEGAL immigrants. I've worked with dozens of immigrant and found most of them to be delightful people. Very hard working, honest, reliable people. It's the illegal aspect that annoys me.

So was I.
What would you do if you were in their situation.

I would do what I did when I first moved out on my own. Work as many hours a week that I could, not spend money on frivolous things, walk to work if I had to because of no gas money, and eat the cheapest healthiest food. Then I would follow proper procedure and wait my turn.

Pisces i agree with you completely. most people always just think about themselves and never bother to look at it from a different perspective. lets see 400 years ago there werent any europeans here in America. In the eyes of native americans illegal alines came from europe and took over their country and killed over half of their population in order to take what they wanted. Coming to America from other countries is not easy. legally or Illegally. What people dont understand is that when they come here illegally they are risking their lives to get here be it from mexico china or wherever else. Think about that!! How many things would you actually be willing to die for. Where do get that illegal immigrants are lazy? You know the majority of them work and damn hard. Now there probably are some that are lazy and take advantage of our welfare system but so do blacks and white people who are citzens. illegal aliens that work also pay taxes just the same as you and me the only difference is that they cant file for a refund. The government gets to keep all the taxes they pay.

Where did you get the info that they pay taxes and don't get a refund?

Everyone that works pays taxes.

Say this is true, how do you know that they then don't get a refund?

And they dont get a refund becuase most of the time the SS#'s are not valid so the IRS wont accept the income tax forms.

Then how did they pay taxes with no valid SS#?

well that's what I'm getting at... they don't pay taxes, most work "under the table"... they don't pay taxes, at least not income tax like the rest of us, yet they take money taxpayers have put into social services for citizens and all that goes with them having that job instead of a law abiding citizen. Legals do pay taxes. And the perspective we should be looking at is today... the perspective 400 years ago was that slavery is ok.

here's something else that I hate... I didn't wind up paying any taxes for last year, yet I got a "refund".

U.S. Department of Labor
That's not true either. OSHA recognizes them. Look it up.
I also use to work for Customer Service and I have seen their paychecks stubs.

OSHA has to recognize them from a safety point of view. They're not interested in whether they are here legally or not.

Whoever said the illegals pay taxes and don't get refunds is retarded.

Mexican American's & Repatriation - University of Texas
University of Texas Library
You have to type what your interested in learning; such as Mexican American's and then you will get a list of articles.
I also wanted to add this, it's too long and if you want to learn more, you can click on the link.
It's a great educational source.
This is the homepage to the Texas Handbook online.
University of Texas Library Homepage

I done discussing this.
I have nothing else to say to the cold-blooded.

But, I'm sorry

The tactics the government used such as Operation Wetback was so xenophobic and heartless. And I can not help the emotions that I feel about this issue because I know first hand, of what I am speaking about.
I will never agree to be stingy to the people seeking help. Never.

The link didn't work...it said 'file not found'.