Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) has introduced legislation that would block states from giving in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens. Under federal law, it’s illegal for states to grant a benefit to illegal aliens that can’t be accessed by all U.S. citizens, but still, a number of states have passed laws that allow illegal aliens to receive the in-state tuition benefit.
Tennessee state senator Todd Gardenhire, a first-term Republican from Chattanooga, withdrew legislation he sponsored that would have extended taxpayer subsidized in-state tuition to illegal aliens. Gardenshire said he doesn’t have enough support to get his bill through the Senate or House this year.
Legislation passed the Florida House that would give illegal-alien students partial tuition waivers enabling them to pay the same in-state tuition rates as Florida residents. The measure now heads to the Senate where related legislation already squeaked by one committee.
The New York State Senate, surprisingly, voted down a bill on Monday that would allow illegal aliens to receive tuition financial aid at state colleges and universities. The measure received 30 votes in favor with 29 against, but it needed 32 for final passage.
Illegal aliens in Georgia and Virginia are suing higher education agencies in their states to win access to taxpayer-subsidized in-state tuition rates. The illegal aliens claim they are eligible for the lower rates because they were granted a two-year stay of deportation under the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood (DACA) Arrivals program.
A bill being considered in the New Jersey legislature that would allow illegal-alien students who meet certain requirements to receive in-state tuition rates and access to financial aid at state universities and colleges cleared its final hurdle before it will move to the Assembly floor for a final vote. If passed by the Assembly, which is expected, it will advance to Gov. Chris Christie's desk for his approval.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced he would veto a Senate-passed bill (S2479) that would offer taxpayer-subsidized in-state tuition and financial assistance to illegal aliens. Christie objects to the financial aid aspect of the bill, but supports so-called tuition equity for illegal aliens.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill on Monday that will allow illegal aliens that graduated from a Colorado high school to be eligible for in-state tuition rates at the state's public colleges and universities. Colorado becomes the 14th state in country to have a law that defies a 1996 federal law that prohibits states from granting illegal aliens benefits without offering the same benefit to all U.S. citizens.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick directed state colleges and universities to offer taxpayer-subsidized tuition rates and fees to illegal aliens who obtain work permits under the Obama Administration’s executive amnesty. The change dramatically reduces tuition and fee costs for illegal aliens who, until now, had to pay out-of-state rates.
The Florida Senate Judiciary Committee has voted down a bill that would offer in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens who graduate from a Florida high school. This is the second year in a row that DREAM Act-style legislation has failed to reach the State Senate floor. The bill was voted down 4-to-3.
Legal Immigrants in Maryland are speaking out against the state's new law that will offer in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens. According to a report by the Washington Post, many legal immigrants in the state have joined forces with a group leading the effort to repeal the law through a ballot initiative.
For the first time in 20 years, Maryland voters will likely decide the fate of a bill passed by the state legislature and signed into law by its governor. A grassroots effort in Maryland has gathered enough signatures to suspend the law and add a referendum to repeal the law to the ballot this fall. The petition is still awaiting final certification by the state's Board of Elections.
The justices without comment Monday refused to accept an appeal from out-of-state students attending California schools, who said it was unfair that as U.S. citizens, they had to pay as much as $20,000 more than illegal immigrants. They claimed such "preferential treatment" violated federal law.
The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill this year giving illegal aliens access to subsidized in-state tuition rates, but opponents of the measure are seeking a referendum to allow voters to decide whether it should remain law in Maryland.
Congress may be in recess, but state legislators are busy at work crafting legislation aimed at reducing magnets for illegal immigration and helping unemployed Americans in their state get back to work. Legislation was finalized in Montana, while legislation in Alabama, Florida, and Indiana took steps closer to final passage. And in Colorado, a proposal to reward illegal immigration was defeated.
A bill that would extend in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens was defeated in the State House Education Committee. The bill, SB 126, was passed by the State Senate before being defeated, 7-to-6, in the House committee. It's the fifth time the bill has failed in the Colorado Legislature.
An Arizona-style immigration enforcement bill has passed through the Indiana Senate, 31-to-18, and now moves to the House for approval. The comprehensive bill, introduced by State Sen. Mike Delph, would require the use of E-Verify and allow local police to check immigration status in certain situations.
The Kansas State House has repealed an existing law that allows illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher learning. Current Kansas law allows illegal aliens who attended a Kansas high school for at least three years and graduated to receive the tuition benefit. The bill to reverse that law passed 69-to-49.
A bill that would make E-Verify mandatory for most employers in the state and a bill that would tighten admissions to state colleges and universities have been approved by the House Immigration Subcommittee. Both bills (HB1727 and HB1465) passed the subcommittee with a 4-to-2 vote.
The Center for Immigration Studies says passage of the DREAM Act would cost American taxpayers at least $6.2 billion per year. According to CIS, at least 1.2 million illegal aliens would enroll in public colleges and universities, qualifying for in-state tuition rates. The average $6,000 in-state tuition benefit would be subsidized to the taxpayers.
Despite federal law prohibiting states from offering in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens, the California Supreme Court has ruled that the state can continue to do so. Justice Ming Chin wrote the decision that continues to allow illegal aliens who attend high school in California to receive a reduced tuition rate even though students from other states don't get the same benefit.
The Georgia Board of Regents has approved a new measure that will require state colleges and universities to deny admission to illegal aliens if admission has been denied to academically eligible U.S. citizens or legal immigrants within the last two years. the new rules will also require applicants to state on their applications if they are entitled to receive in-state tuition benefits.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed two bills last night that would have offered in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens. SB1460, the California Dream act, and AB1413 would have allowed any student, regardless of immigration status, who attended a California high school for at least three years to receive the in-state tuition benefit provided to legal California residents.
It's now official, Sen. Harry Reid will try to add the DREAM Act to the Department of Defense Authorization bill when it comes to the Senate floor over the next few weeks. Sen. Reid acknowledges that "comprehensive immigration reform" with a mass amnesty is impossible, but he believes he can garner enough bi-partisan support to pass an amnesty for illegal alien high school students and graduates.
Rep. Todd Tiahrt has introduced the Fairness for American Students Act (H.R.4548) that would close up a loophole that allows states to offer in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens. The bill would also prevent federal funds going to public universities that offer in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens.
A vote scheduled in the New Jersey state senate to allow illegal aliens to receive state-subsidized, in-state tuition rates at the state's colleges and universities was canceled on Monday. The bill's sponsor said he lacked the necessary votes to pass the measure when Senators came under constituent pressure, in-part due to phone calls from NumbersUSA Members.
A scheduled vote in the New Jersey state senate was postponed last week, likely indicating that they didn't have enough votes to pass a measure allowing illegal aliens to pay in-state tuition rates at the state's public universities and colleges.
The New Jersey State Senate is once again beginning consideration of an in-state tuition bill that will allow students in the country illegally to attend the state's public colleges and universities at the discounted resident tuition rate.
The Wisconsin legislature approved a new budget and it forbids illegal aliens from obtaining driver's licenses. The budget does, however, allow children of illegal aliens who attend Wisconsin high schools to qualify for in-state tuition.
Yesterday, the College Board formally endorsed the DREAM Act amnesty with their release of a report entitled, ‘Young Lives on Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students.’ In its report, the College Board said that opponents of the DREAM Act fail to realize that “one-size-fits-all policies fail to take into account the diversity of the undocumented population.” But the DREAM Act is a “one-size-fits all” policy.
The U.S. College Board has stayed out of the debate about in-state tuition for illegal aliens, until now. The Board, which consists of 5,000 colleges and universities, is urging Congress to allow states to offer in-state rates to illegal aliens and provide a path to citizenship.
A proposal to extend in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens in New Jersey appears to be gaining momentum. Governor Jon Corzine endorsed the legislation, as well as an independent blue-ribbon panel. Plus, the talk of immigration reform from the Obama Administration may give enough fuel to pass the bill.
The Colorado Senate defeated a bill on Monday that would have offered in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens. The bill was defeated 18-16 with five Democrats joining Republicans during the final vote.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 prohibits access to in-state tuition benefits by undocumented students (section 8 USC 1623) It reads “…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…”
A new poll reveals that New Jersey residents are against both driver's licenses for illegal aliens and in-state tuition benefits for the children of illegal aliens. The Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll conducted in February shows that 62% oppose a limited type of driver's license and only 32% support in-state tuition rates for children of illegal aliens.
The California Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that will determine the constitutionality of a state law that grants in-state tuition rates to undocumented students. Estimates say hundreds of undocumented students currently attending community colleges and state universities could be affected and forced to pay out-of-state tuition.
A majority of Nebraska lawmakers say they favor tougher immigration laws according to a pre-session survey conducted by the Associated Press.
A California court has ruled that a law granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens is unconstitutional and ordered the state to start charging 80,000 out-of-state students the lower in-state rates. This ruling can be used to challenge similar laws in nine other states.
"Changing laws have made life tougher for illegal immigrants in Arizona, including young people giving up dreams of college and better lives because they are unable to pay out-of-state tuition as required by voters.
With privately funded grants and scholarships lagging far behind the demand, some would-be students have dropped out, and others are considering a return to homelands they hardly remember in search of opportunity.
We may get an answer over the next week from the high court, which will decide whether to hear the case.
A federal district court and a U.S. Court of Appeals have essentially already refused to take action against states that break the federal law.
