Thread: MA: Education a hot topic in immigration reform

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Education a hot topic in immigration reform
By Rebekah Metzler/Daily News Correspondent
January 29, 2007 - Updated: 12:09 AM EST

BOSTON - Immigrant advocates have staked out their agenda for the new Legislature, making a try to pass controversial bills that include in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

Rep. Michael Festa, D-Melrose, a supporter of the tuition initiative, said the bills were going to be handled more responsibly and professionally than last time. Festa urged fellow lawmakers to be more open minded with the refiled legislation.

"Don't commit early to oppose," Festa said at a briefing Thursday.

Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, voted against the higher education bill. But he agreed that legislators have a responsibility to revisit the proposal.

"We need good, accurate and solid information that we can share with our constituents," Ross said.

Sen. Marian Walsh, D-West Roxbury, also supports the tuition bill.

"We want people to become legal and become educated," she said.

The tuition bill requires immigrant students to attend a state high school for at least three years, pledge that they are working to become citizens and not displace students who are citizens.

Similar legislation, which was defeated by a solid majority in the House, would have allowed illegal students to take spaces regardless of the demand by legal students seeking admission to the state's universities and colleges.

Immigration laws have emerged as controversial issues on the national and statewide levels.

For Waltham's growing immigrant population, decisions made at the State House in Boston will directly impact their lives.

More than 5,000 residents speak English "less than well" according to the 2006 Waltham Community Development Plan.

Some Waltham agencies already provide immigrants with special services without the use of government funding. But the services they provide can be limited depending on the immigrant's legal status.

Alex Marthews, director of the Waltham Alliance to Create Housing (WATCH), said his group provides English as a second language classes, tenant training and advice, affordable housing, community organizing, and classes for first-time home buyers.

However, according to their most recent newsletter, WATCH "cannot, by law, provide federally subsidized housing to undocumented immigrants."

Breaking Barriers is another local organization that provides language education and leadership training.

"WATCH and Breaking Barriers work in conjunction with each other and share the same offices," Marthews said.

Both agencies strive to enable immigrants to live and work legally in Waltham.

"The people that come here want to live in comfortable, affordable housing where they don't feel threatened," said Darline Raymond-Jeanniton, WATCH's director of community organization.

WATCH and Breaking Barriers also offer practical life lessons. By providing lessons on how to file taxes and write resumes, Raymond-Jeanniton said WATCH is able to empower immigrants to become part of the greater Waltham community.

"Most of the time you can see them build up enough confidence to start conversations in English," Raymond-Jeanniton said. "They become very excited and confident."

I am against in-state tuition for illegal immigrants as they are in this country illegally and should not be offered any assistance of any kind. These two groups are assisting illegal aliens in this state and breaking our laws.

Similar legislation, which was defeated by a solid majority in the House, would have allowed illegal students to take spaces regardless of the demand by legal students seeking admission to the state's universities and colleges.

gee, one wonders why it was defeated, illegal aliens having the rights to go to college before an american would be able to? What is this country coming to.