CO- Tuition, illegals on life support after public push back
Tuition bill for illegal immigrants on life support after public push-back
Thursday, 12 March 2009
A Democrat bill granting cut-rate, in-state tuition to illegal immigrants to attend Colorado colleges ran off the rails Wednesday--following an outcry last week by Coloradans testifying against the measure in a Senate committee.
Although the controversial proposal isn't dead yet, it appears to be on life suport after the Denver Post reported late Wednesday that the bill's author, Denver Democrat Sen. Chris Romer, would hold off on a final vote by the full Senate, "until it becomes clear whether Congress is taking similar action."
One of many criticisms leveled at the measure by a wide range of opponents in committee last week was that it would offer only false hope to illegal immigrants who took advantage because, without fundamental immigration reform at the federal level, the bill's beneficiaries would still be subject to deportation and ineligible for employment.
Critics also pointed out that current federal law explicitly bars states from offering in-state tution to illegal immigrants unless those same states offer such benefits to all lawful U.S. residents in any state.
"Without question, the public outcry against ignoring federal law and our state's challenging financial position have helped our friends across the aisle see more clearly," said Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, the Senate GOP's caucus chair. "Common sense may be making a comeback."
Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs
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Colorado Springs Republican Sen. Keith King, who helped lead the charge against Romer's bill in committee, agreed that the public's push-back was instrumental.
"Evidently, Sen. Romer heard the public," King said. "The obvious reality is this bill is truly false hope. There's no way for illegal immigrants to have legal jobs, with or without a four-year degree."
Republican lawmakers at the statehouse have unanimously opposed Romer's bill. Democrats passed it out of the Senate Education Committee last Thursday on a party-line vote after droves of citizens expressed outrage at conferring a benefit like in-state tuition on people who entered the country illegally in the first place.
The turnout at the committee hearing reflected thousands of voice messages and e-mails that lawmakers have received in recent days from state residents upset at the pending proposal.
In saying he would hold off on his legislation, Romer told the Post that he was awaiting the latest draft of the congressional DREAM Act, which would give illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children and who graduated from a U.S. high school the opportunity to become permanent residents if they go to college or serve in the military.
Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver
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"It's critical we make sure our legislation conforms to the federal legislation," he said to the Post.
Assistant Senate GOP leader Greg Brophy was more to-the-point in attributing Romer's shift in tack to the public outrcry.
"Sometimes, even the Senate Democrats have no choice but to listen to the will of the people," said the Wray Republican.
King pointed out in committee last week that federal law for years has barred the extension of in-state tuition beneifts to illegal immigrants. The relevant portion of the law--
Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996--states: "an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State ... for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit (in no less an amount, duration, and scope) without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident." No Democrats on committee, including Romer, responded to the point.
http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/content/view/971/26/
