Thread: CA: College door closed for talented undocumented

College door closed for talented undocumented students
By Dulce Martinez
San Jose Mercury News
Article Launched:07/09/2007 01:31:12 AM PDT

Mayra, a 17-year-old who graduated recently from Downtown College Preparatory in San Jose with top grades, had hopes of going to a four-year university and becoming a lawyer. There is only one problem, which she can't fix.

She entered the United States illegally when she was 4 years old after her parents determined that if they stayed in Mexico they could all starve. As an undocumented immigrant, she's ineligible for government financial aid.

At her high school, Mayra was in Leadership, a program for students who help with campus activities. She was a member of the associated student body and MEChA, a Latino student group. She prepared and distributed sandwiches and water to day laborers in front of Orchard Supply Hardware while they waited for jobs.

Mayra thought that she was as American as anyone. She never thought that being an illegal immigrant was going to be a problem until she applied to a university. Then she found out that she qualified for almost no aid. That limited her college choices.

"I feel that it's not right that I worked so hard to improve my future and now I'm not sure what would become of my plans," said Mayra, a tall, brown-haired and brown-eyed girl from a poor Mexican village.

I know many teens who, like Mayra, had their dreams destroyed when the U.S. Senate turned down the latest immigration reform bill. They shattered the hopes not only of illegal immigrant students in San Jose but also, students living all over the country.

Another deserving undocumented immigrant student who worried about her future is Perla, a thin "jarocha," or native of the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Perla's parents smuggled her into America when she was 9. Also a 2007 Downtown College Prep graduate, she has all the qualities universities look for: She participated in student government, passed Advanced Placement classes and tutored struggling students. And yet when it came to applying to a university, she had all doors slammed in her face. "I feel betrayed by the country I call my home," Perla said.

When the Senate derailed the immigration bill, they punished innocent young people who had no input in their family's decision to enter this country illegally. Undocumented immigrant students in schools are not treated any differently than citizen students. They are always told that they can succeed, become lawyers, psychologists or teachers. But that's a lie if they are not able to attend a college because they don't qualify for government financial aid. I have met many students who have an unclear future waiting for them. Some decide that there is no point to working so hard and they start falling behind and start hanging out with gangs.

These undocumented immigrant students never rest because they are afraid that they might get deported at any second. It is not fair because they have worked really hard educating themselves, learning our country's history, speaking our language, contributing to their community, taking the hardest classes. They don't deserve to be treated so badly.

What happened to the American dream? For these students, the dream became a nightmare and now they have no choice but to remain here, stuck in the lowest ditch in our society because they can't go back to a country they no longer consider their own. All people are created equal, but did Congress think about that when it put the lives of thousands of undocumented students on hold?

Members of Congress should face the problem with their heads up high instead of running away and hiding. Is this what America wants, to destroy the hopes of so many bright and hard working young people who want to become productive citizens?

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_6331051

There is a 'Post Comment' section at the end of this article. It can be accessed with the above link.

Yes, my question exactly.
What happened to the American dream? Key word - AMERICAN. Our dreams are going down the old crappola hole so the ILLEGALS can have their dreams???????????

She entered the United States illegally when she was 4 years old after her parents determined that if they stayed in Mexico they could all starve. As an undocumented immigrant, she's ineligible for government financial aid.

At her high school, Mayra was in Leadership, a program for students who help with campus activities. She was a member of the associated student body and MEChA, a Latino student group. She prepared and distributed sandwiches and water to day laborers in front of Orchard Supply Hardware while they waited for jobs.

I don't care if she found the mathematical breakdown for nuclear waste, if you are here illegally---NO BENEFITS, NO COLLEGE, NO RIGHTS, NOTHING

Mayra, do me a favor...

What happened to the American dream? For these students, the dream became a nightmare and now they have no choice but to remain here, stuck in the lowest ditch in our society because they can't go back to a country they no longer consider their own. All people are created equal, but did Congress think about that when it put the lives of thousands of undocumented students on hold?

#1 - The "American dream" is not meant for illegal alien squatters, both adults and children.
#2 - Illegal aliens are pushing Americans into "the lowest ditch in our society" by using fraudulant id's to steal jobs, and benefits.
#3 - Illegal aliens CAN go back to their country, and should be encouraged to do so.
#4 - "All people are created equal" doesn't mean illegal aliens are entitled to break into our country and remain here demanding equal rights and services devoted to American citizens only.

I am getting so tired of hearing these sob stories. Mayra, take your family and the education you stole from us and go back to your own country and put it to good use there. We don't owe you anything more.

We should reward her for giving sandwiches and water to more illegal aliens waiting to take our jobs away? Good grief!

First of all, nothing is stopping this leech from going to college. It's just that she'd actually have to pay for it, a concept that appears to be beyond the comprehension of these parasites.

Second, since when does the US need more lawyers?

I often wonder how many of these SOB stories are actually true. I'm convinced that some of them are created for the sole purpose of pushing the pro-illegal immigrant agenda.

Originally Posted by CountFloyd

First of all, nothing is stopping this leech from going to college. It's just that she'd actually have to pay for it, a concept that appears to be beyond the comprehension of these parasites.

Second, since when does the US need more lawyers?

Exactly Count! We constantly hear these stories! What about the American kids who can't afford to go to college? Or the ones who do and come out so far in debt it takes them years to pay it back. I am soooooooooo sick of the pity party for these people.

This is from 2000 but is all I could find, apparently Mexican universities don't publish costs, you have to call to get this info (according to the author of this article).
These students could go to Mexico and get their higher education at a bargain price. I'm sure Calderon wouldn't mind giving them the "in-state" price. They certainly wouldn't be considered "foreign" students, would they?
So, the solution is simple. GO HOME. Think of it as a "learning experience". Help the Mexican economy at the same time by paying your tuition there.

http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/org/inthighe ... exico.html
II. Estimated Expenses of Higher Education

MEXICO
Higher Education Expenses Borne by Parents and Students
First Degree, Academic Year 1999-00
[National currency converted to $US
by 1999 Purchasing Power Parity $1 = Mexican New Pesos 5.61*]

Total Cost to Parent & Student
[$1,533] low public university
[$4,118] medium public university
[$9,385] high public university
[$3,636] low private university
[$16,043] medium private university
[$31,194] high private university

Low estimates are averages based on a single student living with parents. (or whomever your parents have been sending $$ back to while working illegally in the U.S.
Average estimates are based on single students not with living with parents.
High estimates reflect those students who are head of household, and having a car.

This includes:
Special “One-Timeâ€