California allows college aid to illegal immigrants

[garbon]

http://news.yahoo.com/california-governor-signs-controversial-dream-act-191902671.html

California Governor Jerry Brown on Saturday signed a bill giving illegal immigrant college students access to state-funded financial aid, the second half of two-part legislation known as the "Dream Act."

The controversial measure, which passed the Democrat-controlled legislature on a party-line vote in September, represents a victory for immigrant-rights activists ahead of the 2012 presidential election. California is the nation's most populous state.

Only two other states, Texas and New Mexico, allow illegal immigrants to qualify for state financial aid for college, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking," Brown said in a written statement issued by his office.

"The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us," he said.

Brown in July fulfilled a campaign promise by signing into law a companion bill to allow illegal immigrants to receive privately-funded college scholarships. Together the two bills have been dubbed the "California Dream Act."

A federal Dream Act that would have created a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who attend college or serve in the military failed in Senate last year.

Opponents of the California Dream Act have argued that public funds should not be used to help illegal immigrants, especially as California faces deep budget woes that have prompted cuts in education and higher tuitions at the state's public colleges and universities.

"Citizens are having a hard enough time getting the classes they need now," Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Hesperia Republican, wrote in a September 9 letter to Brown urging him to veto the legislation.

"(California already offers) students in the country illegally in-state tuition; legally documented students from the next state over can only dream of such a benefit," Donnelly said.

California is one of about a dozen states that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition, based on attendance and graduation from a state high school.

Under the new law, written by Senator Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles Democrat, those same illegal immigrants would be eligible for aid from the University of California, California State university system and the state's 112 community colleges.

They could also apply for Cal Grants, which are cash awards based on academic performance.

For the 2007-2008 academic year, the University of California reports that less than three-tenths of one percent of the system's 220,000 students were immigrants who qualified for in-state tuition.

More than 68 percent of those 1,941 students were U.S. citizens or "documented" immigrants, according to the University of California.

At the state universities, the new law would affect 3,633 students, or less than one percent of the 440,000 students enrolled in the current school year.

Of the nearly 2.9 million community college enrollees, 34,057 would be affected

[Iormlund]

What's the big deal? Aren't those the kind of immigrants you should aim to keep?

[garbon]

What's the big deal? Aren't those the kind of immigrants you should aim to keep?

I don't have anything against illegal immigrants - but really the hypocrisy of saying that they are illegal immigrants but then slowly but surely ramping up all the privileges that we afford them.  It is boggling that a group of individuals who are in California illegally have better access to cheap tuition costs and state aid than legal citizens who reside in Nevada.

[Fate]

What's the big deal? Aren't those the kind of immigrants you should aim to keep?

I don't have anything against illegal immigrants - but really the hypocrisy of saying that they are illegal immigrants but then slowly but surely ramping up all the privileges that we afford them.  It is boggling that a group of individuals who are in California illegally have better access to cheap tuition costs and state aid than legal citizens who reside in Nevada.

If that kid from Nevada went to a California high school for 4 years like that damn illegal alien, then he'd get in-state tuition as well. 

[Admiral Yi]

I don't think the Nevada student vs. California illegal argument holds much water.  The one that does is that California has limited resources and a dollar of financial aid spent on an illegal is one denied to a legal resident.

Iormlund: I'm not sure that the ability to fill out a financial aid form is that strong an indicator that the person will be a great net benefit to the country.

I thought this was the goofy part of Obama's Dream Act as well.  A kid that has grown up in the States, sure, he or she puts in a stint in the military, I can see that as contributing to the common good.  But going to college?  How is that supposed to be seen as a sacrifice?

[Fate]

I don't think the Nevada student vs. California illegal argument holds much water.  The one that does is that California has limited resources and a dollar of financial aid spent on an illegal is one denied to a legal resident.

Iormlund: I'm not sure that the ability to fill out a financial aid form is that strong an indicator that the person will be a great net benefit to the country.

I thought this was the goofy part of Obama's Dream Act as well.  A kid that has grown up in the States, sure, he or she puts in a stint in the military, I can see that as contributing to the common good.  But going to college?  How is that supposed to be seen as a sacrifice?

I think it's goofy that illegal aliens are allowed to go to public school just like legal residents from kindergarten to 12th grade, but when we get to college level then things get controversial. Why? If we're going to make these decisions based on allocation of limited resources, then surely 13 years of public school is more expensive than 4 years of college.

[Iormlund]

I don't think the Nevada student vs. California illegal argument holds much water.  The one that does is that California has limited resources and a dollar of financial aid spent on an illegal is one denied to a legal resident.

Iormlund: I'm not sure that the ability to fill out a financial aid form is that strong an indicator that the person will be a great net benefit to the country.

I thought this was the goofy part of Obama's Dream Act as well.  A kid that has grown up in the States, sure, he or she puts in a stint in the military, I can see that as contributing to the common good.  But going to college?  How is that supposed to be seen as a sacrifice?

Who said anything of sacrifices? I'm talking of the benefits of having doctors, engineers and the like vs mere high school graduates.

As for filling out a financial form, I assumed funds are allocated based on performance. If that's not the case, though, that's where the problem is - not in whether someone is an illegal alien or not.

[Admiral Yi]

I think it's goofy that illegal aliens are allowed to go to public school just like legal residents from kindergarten to 12th grade, but when we get to college level then things get controversial. Why? If we're going to make these decisions based on allocation of limited resources, then surely 13 years of public school is more expensive than 4 years of college.

As a minor quibble I don't think attendance at public universities is the issue being debated, rather the added benefits of reduced tuition and/or financial aid.

[Admiral Yi]

Who said anything of sacrifices? I'm talking of the benefits of having doctors, engineers and the like vs mere high school graduates.

As for filling out a financial form, I assumed funds are allocated based on performance. If that's not the case, though, that's where the problem is - not in whether someone is an illegal alien or not.

I would expect that financial aid for California public universities is based on need and not on performance, but don't quote me on that.

[Ideologue]

I agree with garbon.  It's bogus.  Money spent on illegal immigrants is money that could be spent on decreasing the debt load of Americans.

[Jaron]

Shut off their water.

[grumbler]

I agree with garbon.  It's bogus.  Money spent on illegal immigrants is money that could be spent on decreasing the debt load of Americans.

That's true about the money spent on legal residents, as well.  It may be a feel-good stance, but it is logically crazy.

If one assumes that the children of illegal immigrants are going to be sent back to the country of their parents, then spending money on their college degrees seems like a waste of time.  If one assumes that they will not, then not spending money on their education seems as foolish as not spending it on any other student.  I think the law is probably based on the assumption that these people will, at the end of the day, stay in California.

The problem is the nation's immigration policies, not these students.

[garbon]

The problem is the nation's immigration policies, not these students.

[The Brain]

College students are stupid and ignorant. Any way you look at it they are a huge problem.

[garbon]

College students are stupid and ignorant. Any way you look at it they are a huge problem.

Keeps many of them off the streets.