Thread: DeLeo: Mass. immigrant tuition bill is likely dead

DeLeo: Mass. immigrant tuition bill is likely dead
By Russell Contreras
Associated Press Writer / February 1, 2010

BOSTON—Legislators' election year anxiety after Republican Scott Brown's U.S. Senate win has likely doomed a proposal granting undocumented students in-state tuition rates for this legislative session, according to Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

But Gov. Deval Patrick, a fellow Democrat, said Monday he hopes that's not the case.

"We keep putting off hard issues," an exasperated governor told reporters. "I credit the Legislature for taking a number of the hard votes we've asked them to, but in many of those cases, even, the right thing to do has been waiting for decades. Let's get on with it."

DeLeo told The Boston Globe that the Democratic-led Legislature is edgy going into an election year in the aftermath of Brown's victory. He said lawmakers likely want to stay away from controversial proposals and focus on jobs and the economy.

However, DeLeo told the Globe that he thinks there's support for Patrick's idea to provide health insurance to legal immigrants.

Eva Millona, executive director of Massachusetts Immigrants & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said despite DeLeo's comments, immigrant advocates aren't giving up the fight for the tuition proposal. "It is a difficult issue. We're not denying it," said Millona. "But this proposal has tremendous support and it will help the state's economy."

Last week, dozens of students and immigrant advocates crowded a hearing on the proposal before the Joint Committee on Higher Education. Advocates and students have vowed to keep pressing lawmakers and the governor on a measure that is offered in 10 other states.

But three years after Massachusetts House lawmakers soundly rejected a similar bill, advocates remained unsure on support from some state lawmakers who weren't around during the last fight.

A statement from DeLeo's office Monday did not fully clear up the confusion. "This issue, like many others, is one that will be considered during the budget process," the statement said. "Speaker DeLeo's immediate focus is on job creation and the economy."

Patrick said expanding in-state tuition to undocumented students could boost state revenues by attracting more of them to higher education, "but it's most especially good for those young people. It's fair. It meets them where they are. And it's about opportunity."

Charlie Baker, a Republican candidate for governor, issued a statement criticizing Patrick's position "especially as our state continues to face an economic crisis."

"This is about fairness," Baker said. "People who are here illegally should not get an advantage over students who have played by the rules, and they should not get a taxpayer-funded tuition break reserved for citizens of Massachusetts."

Ten states -- California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin -- have such in-state tuition laws for undocumented students. Oklahoma repealed its law in 2008.

Four states -- Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and South Carolina -- have passed laws specifically banning undocumented students from being eligible for in-state tuition.

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Patrick said expanding in-state tuition to undocumented students could boost state revenues by attracting more of them to higher education, "but it's most especially good for those young people. It's fair. It meets them where they are. And it's about opportunity."

Umm no it won't boost state revenues since in-state tuiton is heavily subsidized by the state's taxpayers. Making them pay International student rates will boost revenues. A tax-payer funded college education for illegal aliens is a dead end and a waste of tax $$$$.

So let's do the right thing and not demand that taxpayers take on more burdens to benefit illegal aliens.

Originally Posted by miguelina

Patrick said expanding in-state tuition to undocumented students could boost state revenues by attracting more of them to higher education, "but it's most especially good for those young people. It's fair. It meets them where they are. And it's about opportunity."

Umm no it won't boost state revenues since in-state tuiton is heavily subsidized by the state's taxpayers. Making them pay International student rates will boost revenues. A tax-payer funded college education for illegal aliens is a dead end and a waste of tax $$$$.

So let's do the right thing and not demand that taxpayers take on more burdens to benefit illegal aliens.

Exactly miguelina!