May 18, 2007
Connecticut House Approves Illegal Alien Tuition Bill
The Connecticut Post headline actually reads:
House OK's immigrant tuition bill
Bill approved giving in-state tuition to the undocumented
"Undocumented" is PC-speak for illegal aliens. I like my headline better.
Apparently this got through the House when a Republican attempt to make English the official state language failed. Why am I not suprised? The bill passed 76-67, and would affect in the neighborhood of 200-250 students per year. (Guess who the majority party is in Connecticut?)
Rep. John Harkins, R-Stratford, said that children of illegal aliens can't register to vote, yet if they're offered in-state tuition rates, they may gain an advantage over the children of other Connecticut residents.
"My concern about this amendment is it's not providing a level playing field," Harkins said. "The legal taxpayers in the state of Connecticut, the people who voted us into office, also have rights."
Harkins said that while the bill was well-intended, it's flawed. "I just, quite frankly, think it's wrong," Harkins said.
"At the end the day, you're either legal or you're not."
Let me clarify what Harkins said: It's the legal taxpayers of Connecticut who have rights, period. Why should we be paying for uninvited, illegal aliens to receive an inexpensive college education...when not even all of our own citizens who would like to go to college can afford it, even at the reduced rate?
Rep. Felipe Reinoso (D-Bridgeport), responsible for the bill's House success, compared the illegals seeking help with tuition to Gen. Lafayette during the days of the American Revolution:
"He fought for this country, shoulder-to-shoulder with General Washington," Reinoso said. "So the history of immigrants is not recent, it's not five years or 10 years. This is a nation of immigrants."
That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Lafayette made a decision to come with his men (though he was officially told not to by King Louis XVI), fought with Washington's Continental Army for no remuneration, and left once the job was done. He was not an immigrant of any kind. (He was also a titled aristocrat with a large fortune. I doubt he would have needed tuition assistance if he had decided to stick around and apply to Yale or Harvard.)
This may be a nation of immigrants, but it is also a nation that is supposed to uphold the law of the land. By granting rights to those who do not deserve them, Connecticut will basically thumbing its nose to federal immigration law. Not that the feds are doing a great job at upholding it either. But it's the latest in a long line of insults to taxpaying citizens, who are the ones left holding the bag at the end of the day.
Rep. Andres Ayala (D-Bridgeport) sums up the liberal stance:
"These kids are not looking for a handout," Ayala said. "What they're asking for is what they deserve, based on merit. It tugs at your heart. It's mind-boggling. I don't understand it."
He said that while undocumented children can apply for scholarships, they can't get financial aid because of their illegal status.
"I don't think that anyone is legal or illegal," Ayala said. "People are here without documents. They're undocumented."
They're asking for what they deserve based on merit? Their parents break the law by bringing them here, we subsidize their primary education and other things like healthcare, and now they need more? Cry me a river. I'm sorry if their parents put them in the middle of a bad situation, but I shouldn't have to pay for it.
If you're a Connecticut resident, contact your state senator and let him/her know how you feel about this.
Show Comments »
Approving this in CT essentially eliminates higher out of state tuition price for ANYONE because they are by federal law not allowed to allow illegals to take in-state tuition breaks while a citizen from Omaha is made to pay more.
Federal law (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."
Giving in-state college tuition to adult illegal aliens residing in each state would give them benefits not given to American citizens in other states ( e.g., war veterans).
A 1996 Federal law mandates that if instate rates are given to illegals, those rates must also be given to all applicants of each state's colleges and universities from the other 49 states. Although the law is not actively enforced, giving in-state tuition to illegal aliens is a clear violation of federal law.
Taxpayers get screwed again. American taxpayers should wake up and see how they are being ripped off by the high costs of tolerating illegal aliens in our midst.
"What they're asking for is what they deserve..."
Is this person on drugs? And can I have whatever she's taking???
As a resident of CT, this is so sickening I don't even know where to begin ranting. My property taxes are about to go up approx. 75%, we pay some of the highest gasoline taxes in the country. What now?! A tax increase so people who are here illegally gain access to rights and priviledges they have done NOTHING to earn or deserve? Because it will be the LEGAL residents of our fair state that will shoulder this particular burden - I for one have had just about enough.
Posted by: Kris, in New England at May 21, 2007 07:13 AMOff Topic/On Thompson: For those of you who hate Hollywood, you sure love Hollywood politicians.
This guy is so Hollywood, he'll win an Oscar for playing a president on TV. But he won't get your nod. Talk about bimbo-eruptions. Talk about trophy wives and numerous mistresses.
I, as a liberal, pray for Thompson to get the nomination.
Instead, you're going to get stuck with, good old safe Mike Huckabee.
Posted by: mudkitty at May 21, 2007 08:01 AM
