Results 1 to 2 of 2
Like Tree1Likes

Thread: Anti-DREAM Act bill fails in Virginia Senate

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

  1. #1
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    PARADISE (San Diego)
    Posts
    99,040

    Anti-DREAM Act bill fails in Virginia Senate

    Anti-DREAM Act bill fails in Virginia Senate

    By Rachel Weiner January 20 at 3:06 PM

    An attempt to block undocumented immigrant students from qualifying for in-state tuition at Virginia’s public colleges failed in the state Senate on Tuesday on a narrow vote, a symbolic victory for DREAM Act advocates.


    After a lengthy debate, one Republican joined Democrats to defeat the bill: John C. Watkins of Powhatan, a moderate Senate veteran retiring this year. Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Fauquier) did not vote.


    In a session where Democrats are trying to force votes on controversial issues that Republicans are largely hoping to avoid, the bill is a rare flashpoint raised by conservatives.


    The legislation proposed by Sen. Richard H. Black (R-Loudoun) is a response to a decision made by Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) in April allowing many students brought to the United States illegally as children to benefit from lower tuition rates.


    Black focused his argument on potential legal and financial ramifications of the expanded discount, saying that under a 1996 federal law, it would force the state to grant in-state tuition to any citizen in the country.


    Moreover, he said, the legality of President Obama’s executive orders was still in doubt.

    “No one at this point can say definitively how the U.S. Supreme Court will eventually rule,” Black said. “I do not believe that this is something we can take a risk on.”


    Herring has said that because these students are “lawfully present” in the United States under Obama’s deferred action program, that language does not apply.


    Only 81 undocumented students are thus far paying in-state tuition at Virginia public colleges or universities as a result of Herring’s decision. But over 9,000 Virginia residents have been approved for deferred action.


    At least 18 states have laws allowing undocumented immigrants to qualify for in-state college tuition, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Lawsuits in California and Kansas brought by out-of-state students on the basis of the 1996 law have failed. However, in 2004, a Virginia federal judge wrote that in his opinion the law did call for in-state tuition to be granted to all citizens in such a case.


    Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced last week that he would veto the legislation, calling it through a spokesman “counterproductive and mean-spirited.”


    An identical House bill put forward by Del. David I. Ramadan (R-Loudoun) has yet to receive a vote.


    The legal argument was not the one made by Black and Ramadan in advance of the 2015 General Assembly session, when both focused on what they saw as the fundamental unfairness of allowing illegal immigrants to benefit from tuition breaks when many citizens fail to gain entry at top state schools.

    Democrats were vocal and visible in their opposition.

    Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) quoted Leviticus: “The alien living with you do not mistreat him. Treat the resident alien the same way you treat the native born among you.”

    Black’s warning of lawsuits is “inaccurate and misleading,” said Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth). “These are students from hardworking families who have been paying into the system just like everybody else. . . . They are lawfully present and they deserve affordable college access.”


    Only two of Black’s fellow Republicans spoke in defense of the legislation: Sens. Thomas A. Garrett (Louisa) and Ralph K. Smith (Roanoke County). Both pointed out that children moved out of Virginia by their parents were also deprived of in-state tuition through no fault of their own.


    “This is something that’s created by special carve-out for political reasons,” Smith said.


    The political concerns are tricky for Republicans, who by aggressively fighting Herring may hamper their attempts to court an increasingly diverse state population.


    Democrats, on the other hand, are using the politics in their favor. Sen. Mark R. Warner sent out a fundraising e-mail during the vote, asking supporters “to join us today and tell the Virginia Senate to stop attacking DREAMers.”

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...3f8_story.html

    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


    Sign in and post comments here.

    Please support our fight against illegal immigration by joining ALIPAC's email alerts here https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  2. #2
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    55,883
    Then try again. And investigate the 2 Republicans, the one that joined with Democrats who is retiring this year, as well as the one who didn't think it was important enough to vote. There are only a few reasons for something like this to happen in the Republican wing and you must find out what they are. Keep trying to stop this madness. Neither Virginia nor any other state in this once grand union has enough college seats for our own citizens, let alone enough to accommodate illegal aliens without stealing a seat from a citizen.

    Wake Up States! You can't afford the bull these crooked politicians are handing you.

    What a shame for Virginia. Shame on you Watkins and Fogel, shame, shame, shame on you.
    Last edited by Judy; 01-20-2015 at 07:06 PM.
    A Nation Without Borders Is Not A Nation - Ronald Reagan
    Save America, Deport Congress! - Judy

    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

Similar Threads

  1. DREAM Act Fails In Virginia State Senate
    By JohnDoe2 in forum illegal immigration News Stories & Reports
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 02-01-2013, 01:14 AM
  2. DREAM Act students vow revolution after act fails in Senate
    By HAPPY2BME in forum illegal immigration News Stories & Reports
    Replies: 41
    Last Post: 06-20-2011, 01:31 PM
  3. Dream Act fails to advance in Senate President Obama says...
    By Dixie in forum illegal immigration News Stories & Reports
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-18-2010, 05:16 PM
  4. DREAM ACT : YAY 55 / NAY 41 BILL FAILS
    By Skip in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 12-18-2010, 02:44 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •