Colorado Senate OKs in-state tuition for illegal immigrants

[Teh One Who Knocks]

9News Colorado


DENVER - The Colorado Senate approved allowing illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at state colleges in a 20-13 voice vote Friday. The bill would cover students who have:

- Attended a Colorado high school for at least three years
- Been admitted to a state college within a year of graduation
- Applied for citizenship

This would affect an estimated 700 students annually.

The way the system currently stands, illegal immigrants are not eligible for state need-based financial aid. Backers have dubbed the bill the "asset act," or the "advancing students for a stronger economy tomorrow." Democrats argue the bill will help create a more-educated workforce and would give more money to higher education. They estimate that total to be around $1.28 million.

Republicans who oppose the bill fear the bill would provide incentive for immigrants to come to the country illegally and will lead to higher operating costs at colleges.

Friday's vote was strictly on party lines, but for some legislators, it was more personal.

"I feel I would not be able to live with myself if I did not get up and speak," Sen. Lucia Guzman (D-Denver) said.

"I do have family members who are undocumented," Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo), one of the bill's sponsors, said.

Republicans maintained their strong opposition to the plan.

This bill is trying to give an in-state tuition [cut] to a class of people that are breaking the law," Sen. Scott Renfroe (R-Greeley) said.

"We are incentivizing more illegal behavior by future generations," Sen. Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch) said.

This is the fifth time the Democrats in Colorado have tried to pass a bill that gives in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. A similar bill died in the Senate in 2009 on a 16-18 vote.

"This is not a partisan issue. This is good education policy and good fiscal policy. It brings in good money for colleges and tax revenue, helps kids that want to get ahead in college go," Sen. Michael Johnston (D-Denver) said.

"I don't think we should incentivize illegal activity, and that's exactly what this does. You cannot grant somebody an entitlement, or make them eligible for a benefit, and reward illegal activity," Sen. Bill Cadman (R-Colorado Springs) said.

The bill sponsors are still waiting for a house committee assignment. The vote could come in the Republican-controlled House as soon as early next week.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:|

[Loser]

And now you understand why people are fleeing this country....

Tax money given to people who will, more then likely, never put back into the pool... Win win win!

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Colorado has approximately a $1 billion budget deficit, so what she we do here in the face of that? How about giving free money to people that are here breaking the law....yeah, that makes perfect sense :-k


:|

[KevinD]

I think we all know how I feel about things like this. Just laughing at some of the so called reasoning that is stated in the article. Just wow.

[Muddy]

We have an Asian woman at work on a green card and I was joking with her about the cost of our insurance.. She looked at me funny and said "I have medicaid"... wtf

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It pisses me off to no end how politicians want to bend over backwards to give our hard earned money away to people that are here ILLEGALLY while there are actual hard working Americans that can't get shit

[Muddy]

Its ridiculous... And everyone agrees on that... But yet when they stick the cameras in the faces of these lawmakers they always crumble and bow down to the PC police...

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Not here...politicians of Mexican descent in Colorado stick their face in front of any camera that they can so they can proudly state just how much they stick-up for the poor persecuted 'undocumented citizens' of this country. Makes me wanna puke. Call me racist if you want, but that is the reason why I will never vote for any candidate with ties to Mexico...they don't care about anyone other than 'their people'.

[FBD]

...they don't care about anyone other than 'their people'.

Quite the issue regarding Islamists as well. If youre not (insert word for believer, or converted sap), then you're sub-human filth.



"It brings in good money for colleges and tax revenue" - WTF!?!?!?!?! :huh: As if "colleges" need ANY MORE MONEY than they are raping people for already!!! And how exactly does taking an ever increasing amount of money from productive citizens, thus decreasing their productivity, bode well for the State?


"I do have family members who are undocumented," Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo), one of the bill's sponsors, said.
Where is it that you live, now? :-k Awesome. Fcuking public officials getting up and stating that a bunch of their family is here illegally. Deport those sonsabitches.


"I don't think we should incentivize illegal activity, and that's exactly what this does. You cannot grant somebody an entitlement, or make them eligible for a benefit, and reward illegal activity," Sen. Bill Cadman (R-Colorado Springs) said.
At least someone has their head screwed on straight...



Regardless of all of this, do I need to go dig up data that shows pretty plainly that simply spending more money on school at any level does not correlate to better performance?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Republicans kill in-state tuition proposal for illegal immigrants
Eli Stokols Political Reporter - KDVR Fox 33 News


DENVER -- After more than five hours of testimony, a House committee Monday night killed a proposal to offer unsubsidized in-state tuition to undocumented students.

The 7-6 party-line vote marked the second time in a month that a controversial proposal, already passed by the Democrat-controlled Senate, died before a GOP-controlled committee in the House.

Another measure that would have recognized same-sex civil unions died on a similar party-line vote in the House Business Committee, also never reaching the House floor.

On Monday, the House Education Committee heard hours of testimony, the majority of it from a wide coalition of people supporting the bill: college presidents, district superintendents, business leaders, Denver's current mayor and one of his predecessors, and dozens of undocumented students themselves.

"This is not a handout," said Mayor Bill Vidal, who compared his own boyhood immigration from Cuba to the plight of immigrants in the room. "It's simply making it easier for those who want to do the work."

Although no undocumented students put their names on the record to testify publicly, they put their faces front and center, filling the crowded Old Supreme Court chambers, all dressed in white t-shirts with their career ambitions -- "future doctor", for example -- penned across their chests.

"All I want is chance to go to college, to be able to afford college," said a Bruce Randolph senior named Virma, who couldn't give her last name for fear of being reported. "We're just fighting for a chance to make a difference in our community."

Sponsors argued that 12 other states that have passed similar laws have seen their economies benefit.

"This is one of the only bills this year that would bring in more revenue to higher ed, bring in more revenue to the general fund without adding a single tax to the state of Colorado and, oh, by the way, provide opportunity to kids who are struggling at the same time," said Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, a former high school principal.

Johnston, along with Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, and House sponsors, Reps. Angela Williams and Joe Miklosi, both Denver Democrats, had all spent the weekend lobbying the more moderate Republicans on the panel.

Republicans on the panel said they were moved by the stories of children whose parents brought them here illegally; but they all voted against the proposal, concerned about the added costs for universities and colleges and the larger issue of citizenship.

"We are a nation of laws," said Rep. Robert Ramirez, R-Westminster, viewed as a possible swing vote up until the moment he voted no. "We need to do something about the immigration laws in this country. Maybe after we do that, I could vote for this bill."

In an interview following the vote, Ramirez seemed especially conflicted, repeating many of the arguments heard earlier from proponents of the bill about the need to invest in a home-grown work force and to not continue to perpetuate a sub-class of undocumented people.

"We spend $100,000 educating these kids through high school, and then we just stop," Ramirez said. "It doesn't make a lot of sense."

When the hearing adjourned, the bill's sponsors gathered the Latino students who'd stayed until the end in the Capitol's west foyer for an impromptu prayer session and pep talk.

"This is our family," said Johnston, drawing the circle of teens in an arm hug. "And we're only going to get stronger."

But many of the teens, knowing they and their friends won't be able to afford college in Colorado next year, couldn't hold back their tears.

"These are students who have dreams and who have worked their entire life to help these dreams come true," said Graciella Guillen, a high school senior who is not undocumented.

"I don't believe it's in the interests of this country to deny them those dreams."

[Muddy]

Congrats...

[PorkChopSandwiches]

There are plenty of actual Americans who cant afford college either, to fuckin bad.

[Muddy]

You gonna have some dumb Mexicans in Colorado now though...

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Congrats...

Thanks...they already waste enough of our tax money here, glad to see that this got blocked


There are plenty of actual Americans who cant afford college either, to fuckin bad.

Exactly

[Teh One Who Knocks]

You gonna have some dumb Mexicans in Colorado now though...

There's already plenty of those here :shhh:

[Muddy]

http://stoptheinvasionoforegon.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/mexico.jpg

[Godfather]

They took yer jeeerbs