MA: Higher Ed board takes up in-state tuition for immigrant

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Higher Ed. board takes up in-state tuition for immigrants
April 19, 2007

The Board of Higher Education gave its stamp of approval Thursday to a document that looks favorably on legislation to let illegal immigrant students pay in-state tuition at state colleges.

The two-page "question-and-answer" document doesn't take a position on the issue and is designed to inform the public and Beacon Hill lawmakers who expect to revisit the issue in coming months. It was accepted unanimously.

The document states that accepting illegal immigrants "would likely result in extra revenue to the schools and the commonwealth."

It cites a Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation report from January 2006 that says between 400 and 600 students might enter Massachusetts schools as a result of such a bill, and that it likely would result in $2.5 million of extra revenue.

Aaron Spencer, the board's acting chairman, said the memorandum was nonpartisan.

"The purpose of this report is merely to allow the participants in the debate to have the facts in front of them so as to reach their own conclusion," he said.

Spencer acknowledged afterward that he supports allowing illegal or undocumented immigrants to get in-state tuition.

"It's a contribution to the economy," he said. "I'm not an ideologue. I'm not saying we have to stand up and open the borders."

House lawmakers in January 2006 soundly rejected a bill that would let undocumented immigrant students pay in-state tuition. Similar bills are awaiting hearings in June, and Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick supports the measures.

Ten states -- California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington -- offer some unauthorized immigrant students in-state tuition rates, according to the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

Opponents say it's unfair to legal residents to provide extra benefits to illegal immigrants, adding the state shouldn't be educating undocumented students so they can take higher paying jobs from legal residents.

The higher education board endorsed similar legislation in 2004.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... mmigrants/

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