Pro In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students

Marisa Trevino, Why not let stude= nts 'become someone'? USA TODAY July 25, 2008, p.. 13-A.

Maybe it was because the sender's name, Maritza, was so similar to mine th= at I felt compelled to open the e-mail. A quick scan proved it was not an unwel= come solicitation, but a plea for help from a student who was also an "illegal immigrant."=

In part, it read: "I send you an e-mail regarding = ... undocumented students who wish to keep studying to become someone." S= he wanted information on college scholarships that helped students like herself -- high school graduates in need of the kind = of financial aid that doesn't depend on citizenship status, only good grades.= With so few scholarships, it isn't easy for these students. As a recent USA TODAY article notes, more states want= to make in-state tuition rates unavailable or outright ban these students from attending U.S. <= span class=3DGramE>colleges.

In a reading of new laws in Ariz= ona, Arkansas, Colora= do, Georgia, Oklahoma, and North and South Carolina= , the idea that all children deserve the opportunity for a college education= is as foreign as the countries where these children were born. These laws app= ear to be offshoots of state measures designed to drive the undocumented from = local communities. In 2007, according to the Education Commission of the States,= 32 states considered bills to give undocumented students in-state tuition. Ten of those states are now consi= dering restricting in-state tuiti= on. Why? Many state legislators have become incensed that the federal government ha= sn't taken the lead on enforcement. Their anti-illegal immigrant rhetoric has encouraged wide interpretations of federal policy.

In seeking to punish these students, these legislators = are, in fact, punishing all of us. Do we really want to waste the talent of the= se ambitious students? What good is being done by keeping in the dark those serious about furthering their education? The reality is that this country= is their home, and they'll be here whether we choose to educate them or not.<= o:p>

What is an advanced degree worth? The Census reports th= at in 2006, workers with a bachelor's degree earned $56,788 vs. $31,071 for those with only a high school diploma. A labor study that same year found that 5= 00 of the largest U.S. companies will lose 50% of their senior management by 2011. Our aging labor force needs to be replenished by those schooled to compete in a knowledge-= based economy. Other countries are clamoring for a highly educated workforce jus= t as we're driving students away.

Is this the new American way?

Marisa Trevioo, who lives i= n Dallas, publishe= s the website Latina Lista.