Thread: Gheen can barely speak English: Rep. pulls name from bill

http://www.reflector.com/local/content/ ... ition.html

McLawhorn pulls name from immigrant tuition bill

By Ben Deck, The Daily Reflector

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

A Democrat in the state House has pulled her name from a tuition bill for children of illegal immigrants, but the chairman of the local Republican Party chapter said Monday he hopes she'll reconsider.

Marian McLawhorn, D-Pitt, was a co-sponsor of House Bill 1183, which would grant in-state tuition to children of illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria. She said she supports the bill's objective but backed off after learning the legislation may run afoul of federal law.

"I have withdrawn my co-sponsorship," McLawhorn said.

Javier Castillo, chairman of the Pitt County Republican Party, also supports the bill's objective.

"I hope that Rep. McLawhorn will reconsider her position," Castillo said.

McLawhorn said she learned about the potential conflict between the state bill and U.S. law from Gerry Cohen, director of the Legislature's bill drafting department. Cohen believes a 1996 revision of federal immigration law set up a roadblock to the North Carolina initiative. If a state provides any educational benefit to a person not lawfully in the United States, and the benefit is based on residency in the state, that same benefit must be provided to any U.S. citizen, regardless of

their state of residence, Cohen said.

"The federal law says we can't treat illegal immigrants differently," Cohen said.

The North Carolina bill, a close copy of legislation passed in six other states, Cohen said, would allow the child of an illegal immigrant to qualify for in-state tuition at state colleges and universities if the child:

Graduated from high school in North Carolina.

Attended school in North Carolina for the last four years.

Meets admissions standard for the college.

Has applied for lawful immigration status or will file as soon as eligible.

Cohen said the federal law is designed to discourage illegal immigration by denying public benefits to the immigrants, but Castillo does not believe the federal law poses a problem.

Generally, U.S. citizens only have to spend a year in North Carolina to gain in-state status, so the four-year requirement put on the children of illegal immigrants hardly qualifies as a benefit, he said.

Cohen was adamant that granting such an educational benefit to the children of illegal immigrants would necessitate the abolition of out-of-state tuition in general.

"The problem is, the federal law was designed to punish people," Cohen said.

Castillo said he believes the Legislature should pass the bill and let the courts decide if there is any legal conflict. In the states where similar legislation has passed, only Kansas has seen a court challenge. William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration, a North Carolina political action committee that opposes the bill, said his organization will file a legal challenge if the bill passes.

Castillo's position is one that has also put him at odds with other members of his party – and with the platform of the state GOP.

"North Carolina has traditionally provided affordable higher education to its citizens. But taxpayers should not be required to fund higher education for illegal immigrants," the state GOP Web site states.

Ferrell Blount, a Bethel resident and chairman of the state GOP, said he agrees with the stance.

"I helped craft the platform, and I support it wholeheartedly," Blount said.

Castillo said he does not support illegal immigration, but he believes the current U.S. immigration system is "broken." Without immigrants, legal and otherwise, the economies of both North Carolina and the nation would suffer, he added.

"The average North Carolinian likes what the Hispanics are doing for him," Castillo said.

Castillo also had harsh words for Gheen, a former Greenville resident and ECU alumnus.

"These (immigrant) kids can speak two languages, and Bill Gheen can barely speak English," Castillo said.

Gheen said he believes Castillo is angry because "his bill is going down in flames.

"I can understand his frustration being on the losing side of an issue." Gheen said.

Gheen also said he will continue to fight the bill.

"This measure will be defeated, and we will move on to restrict all tax benefits going to illegal immigrants soon," Gheen said.

Castillo said he believes the Legislature should pass the bill and let the courts decide if there is any legal conflict.

Does anyone see a problem here with this thought process???????

It was my impression, silly girl that I am, that our LEGISLATORS ARE TO BE MAKING LEGISLATION THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION & THE RULE OF LAW.

Castillo said he does not support illegal immigration, but he believes the current U.S. immigration system is "broken." Without immigrants, legal and otherwise, the economies of both North Carolina and the nation would suffer, he added.

Isn't that kind of a contradictory statement? He claims he doesn't support illegal immigration, but yet he supports giving them benefits at tax payers expense and claims the economy would collapse without them. HHHMMMM, sounds like bull to me.

Cohen said the federal law is designed to discourage illegal immigration by denying public benefits to the immigrants, but Castillo does not believe the federal law poses a problem.

That's because he doesn't think that the laws should apply to illegal aliens. The only mistake Congress made in 96 when passing this law was that they didn't put any teeth behind it. They need to set a mandatory punishment for any state that subverts this federal law. Something like if they violate this law like NC is trying to do then they should be stripped of all educational funding from the federal government. Seriously, if NC wants to give in-state tuition to invaders then surely they must have such a surplus of funds that they don't need any federal funding whatsoever.

"The average North Carolinian likes what the Hispanics are doing for him," Castillo said.

We don't have a problem with Hispanics, we just have a problem with illegal aliens invading our country and sucking our system dry.

"These (immigrant) kids can speak two languages, and Bill Gheen can barely speak English," Castillo said.

Gheen said he believes Castillo is angry because "his bill is going down in flames.

"I can understand his frustration being on the losing side of an issue." Gheen said.

Good job. You put it alot nicer than I would have. Nice touch.

Gheen also said he will continue to fight the bill.

"This measure will be defeated, and we will move on to restrict all tax benefits going to illegal immigrants soon," Gheen said.

You know that we here at Alipac have your back.

hese (immigrant) kids can speak two languages, and Bill Gheen can barely speak English," Castillo said.

Really??? They can speak two languages? Which two would that be....hmmmm.. Spanish and profanity? Here in Texas we spend billions b/c we have to teach them in Spanish.

RR

We cant get anyone to admit they support illegal immigration, but then so many actually do in their deeds. In NC, we call them folks liars.

W

Quote:
"These (immigrant) kids can speak two languages, and Bill Gheen can barely speak English," Castillo said.
Gheen said he believes Castillo is angry because "his bill is going down in flames.
"I can understand his frustration being on the losing side of an issue." Gheen said.

Maybe the kids do speak 2 languages, but it's important to be fluent in english in order to fully assimilate, or they will be left behind. That's WHY the bill is so important.

Did the TAXPAYERS pay in order to teach his kids ENGLISH? Just as we're paying through the nose all over the country!

His kids being bi-lingual is a NON-ISSUE

"The problem is, the federal law was designed to punish people," Cohen said.

Duh! Arent we supposed to punish Law breakers?

Yes, i have a problem with Illegals in My STATE! My tax dollars are paying for their early education, I dont want any more money being spent on them. Send them home to their counrty of orgin.

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

We cant get anyone to admit they support illegal immigration, but then so many actually do in their deeds. In NC, we call them folks liars.

W

You'll never get any politican including the ones who blatantly support Mexican interest only to say they support illegal immigration or amnesty. They are all trained not to say the A word or come out in favor of illegal immigration. That's why they use code words and phrases in order to deceive the public. That's why we have to be smart and decipher their double talk. You know what they say, everytime a politican is moving their lips, they're lying.

I heard it this way..'The only time they're lying is when they're talking."

RR