Republican Congressman Paul Gosar says it is “unthinkable” that some states have granted undocumented immigrants in-state college tuition, so he’s sponsoring legislation that would ensure this doesn’t happen anymore.
“…other legal American citizens, playing by the rules, have to pay out-of-state tuition to attend public universities,” he said in a statement to the media. “With a stagnant economy, American students are facing enough challenges upon graduating from college and shouldn’t bear more financial burdens as a result of loopholes crafted by attorneys that pull illegal aliens not in lawful immigration statues ahead of U.S. citizens.”
In May, the Arizona Board of Regents voted to grant undocumented students, also known as DREAMers, in-state tuition at the three public universities. It marked a big win for DREAMers, who’d been demanding that benefit for at least the past three years. (Mind you, most of them have lived in Arizona since they were children and graduated high school or got a GED in the state. Also, in 2012 President Obama gave them a two-year renewable work permit and permission to be in the country—an executive action called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.)
In past years, ABOR followed Prop 300—a referendum approved by Arizona voters in 2006 that says university students who are not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents do not qualify for in-state tuition or financial aid “funded or subsidized by state monies.” Among Prop 300’s required documents to prove residency in the state are driver’s licenses, a W-2, an employee ID badge with photo, etc. DACA recipients have been getting driver’s licenses since December 2014, and, ever since DACA went into effect in 2012, they’ve had work permits, which means a job, which equals paying taxes, which equals a W-2.
The ABOR stamp of approval was largely influenced by Maricopa Superior Court Judge Arthur Anderson’s May ruling, settling a two-year lawsuit between Maricopa County Community College and former Arizona attorney general Tom Horne over in-state benefits for DREAMers attending the college. Horne argued Maricopa violated Prop 300, but Anderson ruled that “Arizona law doesn’t bar benefits to immigrants lawfully in the country, and that under federal law, the DACA students are lawfully present,” according to The Arizona Republic.
Gosar cited the Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996, which prohibits states from providing post secondary education benefits to “unlawfully present aliens based on their resident in the state unless all U.S. citizens of national are eligible for such benefits, regardless of their state residence,” the press release said.
“Creative loopholes, such as allowing illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition rates because they happened to graduate from an in-state high school, violate the intent of this law,” Gosar argued.
HR 3566, endorsed by the Federation for American Immigration Reform and NumbersUSA, also has a companion bill in the U.S. Senate sponsored by Sen. David Vitter, a Republican from Louisiana. U.S. House co-sponsors include Arizona Congressman Trent Franks.
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2015.
Californians don’t get in state tuition rates. Mexico is not even a state. Accept for in a state of decline. (population)
Californians would get instate tuition if they lived here dummpkof…….or would we then call them Arizonans?
“Undocumented” doesn’t live here. That’s why we ask for papers. And that’s why we call them illegals. dummpkof?
Small thing, but you’d get an Auto E … Gosar.
Same guy who refused to listen to the Pope today.
If you’re not a US citizen, you should pay out of state tution. You don’t get in state tutition by merely living here, you have to be a permenant resident. It’s the same in every state. BTW, Mexico isn’t a state, it’s a foreign country. Why compound the immigration problem with these dumb laws.
They are not citizens – our citizens who are poor don’t get a break on tuition – in state or out of state. Time to stop using our tax dollars for criminals – yes criminals – they are here illegally and got here illegally. Spend the money to send them back to Mexico.
Want to get in-state college tuition in a state in America? BECOME A LEGAL RESIDENT OR CITIZEN!
The Japanese or Argentinian exchange student at the U of AZ does not get in-state tuition, why should the Mexican be different?
You want the benefits, do the paperwork, put in the time and pay the fees.
This judge is based.
The DREAMers are legal residents so this bill wouldn’t affect them.
What do we call the ‘dreamers’ that rape our daughters and kill our sons.
If they were legal residents they wouldn’t be called “Dreamers”. They shouldn’t get anything special because they are here illegally. They should be discouraged from being here instead of encouraged.
They are foreigners living here without a visa. They should pay out of State tuition just like any student from any other foreign country would.
When did the President of these united States obtain exclusive jurisdiction over immigration? Hint: He hasn’t.
The Congress has the Power to regulate naturalization, not immigration, constitutionally speaking anyway. But hey, who cares about this silly thing called a constitution. We don’t even use it any longer.
We voted one this once, I guess the colleges don’t think they have to abide by it, maybe we should have included a penalty.
As soon as obamanation is gone we will now be able to locate and deport these “dreamers”. Considering it is not a law, his decree only lasts as long as he does.
Maybe this is the libertarian in me…………higher education in Arizona is almost wholly funded by property taxes as state funding has been removed? DACA students and families live in Arizona. They rent from landlords who pay property taxes. So they are the means by which those taxes are paid or via a pass through they pay the tax………what’s the problem? Please tell me how I’m wrong. Tuition and endowments not withstanding.
Danold trump followers are never happy.
Boehner resigned this morning. Trump- eteers are happy. He just may get the Republican party back on track.
You expect us to speak your language and educate ourselves but you wont cut us a break in trying to become citizens. Very American of you. Jerks!
I appreciate the ABR decision to offer the assistance of in-state tuition to some of the young people who are the next generation of friends and neighbors. Given a reasonable and constructive immigration policy they would already be citizens.
Dr. Gosar is an embarrassing shill for the Koch Brothers and the Tea Party. He stood along among his peers in both houses of Congress and boycotted the Pope’s historic address. This, of course, made national news and we, Arizonans, looked stupid to the rest of the country. He says he is a devout Catholic but he wouldn’t see his Pope?
His solution to immigration is not to reform but to try to deport 11 million.
He would be smart to leave the Catholic church. Popes become a politician…Rememberwhen you guys complained about seperation?
Only if we could deport all 11 million of these free loading assholes… Then this would be a non-issue.
Is the guy wearing the t-shirt willing to give up his education and give it an illegal?
These so called dreamers are nothing more than a bunch of illegals. They don’t deserve a damn thing other than having someone kick their damn ass back across the border. I don’t know why the idiots think the America owes them a damn thing other than “JAIL TIME” for breaking our laws.
I’m American, I’m Tohono O’odham, I’m a business owner and I pay taxes, and I absolutely support making it as easy as possible for kids and young adults, ALL kids and young adults, to get an education. Regardless of your political affiliation or your view on this matter, for those of you who are attempting to denigrate and shame these self-starting kids with mean-spirited labels and hate, you should be truly ashamed.