Immigration in the First 100 Days?

November 24, 2008, 

Chronicle of Higher Education

Deal Is Reached on Immigration Bill Affecting Students, Says Senate
Leader

Washington - Momentum appears to be building in Congress for passage of immigration legislation that could make some illegal immigrants eligible for certain federal programs, including student aid.  In an interview with the Gannett News Service that was published over the weekend, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, a Democrat of Nevada, said that President-elect Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, a Republican of Arizona, had reached agreement on how to proceed with a comprehensive immigration bill. Senator Reid said that he did not expect "much of a fight at all" over the legislation, which would overhaul the nation's immigration laws.

Congress tried to pass an immigration bill last year, but it failed for reasons unrelated to the education provisions. Those pieces of the bill, which were taken from the Dream Act,  would have created a path to permanent residency for immigrant students and would have made it easier for states to charge cheaper in-state tuition rates to some illegal immigrants. -Kelly Field



It's a myth that academics are more open minded. Take a look at these comments.
Comments to Chronicle of Higher Education article:

1.

Maybe we should focus on educating our “own” citizens at this point in time rather than making another hand out available. The “billions” that this will foster in paybacks is tremendous! California is a perfect example of what cost it will “burden” the tax payer in order to return the favor. This seems to be following a familiar theme over the last month don’t you think – one that will come to bite us in the not-so-distant future me thinks. With this type of thinking maybe the Democrats can finger the blame on some non-existent party now that they have sole control of both houses, the presidency, and pretty much wag the judicial?! We’re being played by special interest groups on both sides of the aisle folks and the time is now to stand up and be counted if we really care about educating our children.

— Michael Harper Nov 24, 03:49 PM #
2.

What unbelievable ignorance! They are OUR children and the children of our workers. They are around you everyday and you do not even notice them as being ‘foreign’ because they are as American as any other student. They are in your classroom. They speak English more often without an accent than with. They also very often the top performing students in our inner city schools and the talent we will need to build our economy and our future.

— Paul Garza Nov 24, 03:57 PM #
3.

well, must say that on balance it sounds fine, but my kid can’t get resident tuition next door but a student from abroad can?

something’s very wrong with that.

— megano Nov 24, 04:02 PM #
4.

It is about time that this country take care of the people who were born here first. After all, as a single working parent, my son, who is a college student, cannot obtain aid in any way. There certainly is something very wrong with that.

— Working Mom Nov 24, 04:40 PM #