Thread: Illegal immigrant has the grades but not the papers

By Laura Diamond


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

To advocates on both sides of the immigration debate, Miriam Torres is emblematic of the problems facing this country.

Miriam Torres, 20, an illegal immigrant, was brought here as a child from Mexico by her mother. Torres graduated from Roswell High in 2008 with 4.0 but isn't in college because she can't afford the out-of-state tuition public colleges are required to charge her under Georgia law. Some say illegal immigrants like Torres should be barred from Georgia's public colleges.

Torres, 20, is an illegal immigrant brought to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 9. Her family came using short-term tourist visas.

Those who argue for tougher enforcement of immigration laws say she is proof that the country needs to better secure its borders. She attended public school in Fulton County with taxpayers spending more than $65,000 to educate her, according to state figures. Some say that money was wasted because Torres can't legally work here. The money should have been spent on legal citizens, they said.

Others paint Torres as a victim of broken system. She graduated from Roswell High in 2008 with a 4.0 grade point average and would like to attend Georgia Tech to study biomedical engineering. Activists say the U.S. would benefit from educating and hiring smart, hard-working illegal immigrants. They cite students like Torres to explain why this country should pass federal legislation to make it affordable for illegal immigrants to attend college and be put on a fast-track to legal citizenship.

Torres, caught in the middle, has mixed feelings about her experience.

"Coming to this country was a blessing and a misfortune at the same time," she said. "I have come to love it as if it were my own, but hate it because it does not let me love it."

Her mother, sister and friends live here. Her father, who she hasn't seen in more than two years, still lives in Mexico. While she'd prefer to stay in the U.S., Torres will return to Mexico if that's the only way she can pursue a college degree.

"People say I'm Mexican, but I'm also American," she said. "This is home. Not Mexico."

Torres is among the estimated 480,000 illegal immigrants living in Georgia, according to a 2009 report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Federal immigration officials have said their enforcement priorities are not focused on illegal immigrants with clean criminal records.

While many illegal immigrants wish to remain anonymous, Torres agreed to have her name and photograph published. She hopes her story encourages people to advocate for federal legislation that would help those brought to the U.S. as minors.

"The United States has given me so many opportunities, yet it is letting me waste all the opportunities and throw them away simply because I do not have the proper documentation," she said.

She is among the more than 700,000 illegal immigrants who would be eligible for legal status under the DREAM Act currently before Congress. The bill, which targets high school graduates who came here before they were 16, has been introduced in similar forms multiple times over the past decade.

While the bill has some support, politicians in both parties said it is unlikely to draw enough to pass this year. Some say the bill provides amnesty to those who have broken the law and that it could increase illegal immigration.

Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, who this summer joined 13 other state senators in urging the State Board of Regents to bar illegal immigrants from public colleges, expressed sympathy for Torres but said she and her family broke the law when they stayed after their visas expired.

"That doesn't mean they are bad or evil people, but they are here illegally," Balfour said. "Your heart goes out to her. But if she goes to college, she can't legally get a job here. We are going to educate her for what reason?"

Torres first came to Roswell when she was 9 on a tourist visa, which expired after about two months. But she and her family continued to live here for two years. She attended fourth and fifth grade at Roswell North Elementary.

They returned to Mexico when she was 11, but returned to Georgia two years later after "discovering we didn't even have money to eat," Torres said. They again came on a tourist visa and again stayed after it expired. She attended eighth grade at Crabapple Middle School and moved on to Roswell High, where she took three college-level Advanced Placement classes and was in honors English and French.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that illegal immigrants are entitled to a public school education. But federal law is fairly quiet when it comes to what happens after they graduate from high school.

Federal law does not bar illegal immigrants from attending public colleges, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a 2008 letter, its most recent federal guideline on the issue, the agency wrote, " ... individual states must decide for themselves whether or not to admit illegal aliens into their public post-secondary institutions."

Georgia law requires illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition. Several lawmakers have said legislation will be introduced to prohibit these students from public colleges.

There's been much debate over the issue since Kennesaw State University officials disclosed last spring that they had charged an illegal immigrant in-state tuition. Officials said they were not aware of the student's legal status.

At Georgia Tech Torres would be charged out-of-state tuition of $12,640 a semester, which she can't afford. In-state tuition is $3,535 a semester. As an illegal immigrant, Torres is not eligible for most grants, loans or scholarships, including Georgia's HOPE program. She can’t legally work.

She attended Southern Catholic College, a private college in Dawsonville, last year. The college provided her with scholarships and other aid, but it closed this spring.

Instead of sitting in class, Torres sits at home. She reads, hangs out with friends and helps coordinate youth programs at Catholic churches in Duluth and Roswell.

"I worked hard in high school just like teachers told us to," she said. "Now I’m in limbo. What was the point of me graduating high school if I can’t go on to college? This country invested in me all through school. Why not invest in me for college?"

James Dutton, student body president at Georgia State University, said he knows of armed forces veterans who have trouble affording college. Illegal immigrants, he said, should go through the proper steps, such as becoming legal citizens.

"I don’t begrudge anyone wanting an education and I think international students provide an important perspective to our classes, but it’s already hard for some Georgians to get into college," Dutton said. "I know that all illegal immigrants didn't necessarily create the problem they're stuck in but I feel that everyone should have to go through the proper channels. ... Everyone should have to play by the same rules in higher education."

Like other young illegal immigrants, Torres didn't understand her family's legal status and its implications until she became old enough to attend college. When asked why she and her family didn't apply for citizenship, Torres said the process is arduous.

"If we could apply for citizenship [or] residency we would," she said. "We would have done it a long time ago. However, it is not as easy as it sounds."

Immigration law considers Torres a minor because she’s under 21, said Charles Kuck, her immigration attorney. But as a 20-year-old, she’s too old to attain citizenship through her mother’s planned marriage to an American citizen, he said. If she leaves this country, federal law could bar her from returning for 10 years, he said.

Students like Torres represent a conundrum even for those who support stronger enforcement of immigration laws.

"There is sympathy for illegal immigrants brought here as children," said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit that supports vigorous enforcement of immigration laws. "But you can't ignore taxpayers' concerns that their money is being spent properly."

David Bachman, who attends Middle Georgia College, worked part-time to afford college. He said students like Torres are criminals who are breaking the law by living in this country. Her family never should have come and she shouldn't remain, he said.

"The law is the law and they're breaking it and they don't belong here," Bachman said. "We need to make sure they don't enter. And they definitely don't belong in our public colleges."

Torres said illegal immigrants don't steal seats away from other students. Everyone goes through a competitive application process to determine who is admitted, she said. Those who get in are better qualified, she said.

"It's not my fault I'm illegal," Torres said. "I'm smart. I love to learn. I love to study. I want to go to college, but I can't."

Rev. James Kuczynski encounters people like Torres at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Smyrna. The church holds nine masses every Sunday, with four of them conducted in Spanish, he said.

Illegal immigrants, he said, are just like legal citizens in that they are looking for a community and a sense of well-being.

"This is the only place they know and to not have access to higher education is to deny them access to the American dream," Kuczynski said. "We need to take some kind of action to keep people on the path to citizenship."

Some say extending benefits to illegal immigrants threatens Georgia and the country.

Yeh Ling-Ling, executive director of Alliance for a Sustainable USA, said the nation's priorities must rest with those who are here legally. The California-based non-profit calls for a moratorium on immigration.

"Others can go back to their native country to finish their education," said Yeh, who was born in Vietnam and legally immigrated to the U.S. in 1980.

If her situation is unchanged by December, Torres will return to Mexico for college. She'll major in French and ultimately earn a master's degree in international relations.

"I still have hope and I have hope in America," Torres said. "I just want a better future for myself. I can contribute to this country. Let me study and let me give something back."

How we got this story

Following public debate over whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to attend Georgia’s public college, reporter Laura Diamond reached out to immigration attorneys and activists to find illegal immigrants to interview. The criteria was that the individual was brought to this country as a minor, graduated from high school in Georgia and had an interest in attending college. The subject also had to agree to have his or her name printed in the newspaper. One illegal immigrant backed out of the story out of concern for his younger siblings. Diamond met Miriam Torres through her immigration attorney, Charles Kuck. Interviews were conducted in his office and through e-mails between Diamond and Torres.
http://www.ajc.com/news/illegal-immigra ... 07644.html

Torres said illegal immigrants don't steal seats away from other students. Everyone goes through a competitive application process to determine who is admitted, she said. Those who get in are better qualified, she said.

I can't believe that Torres knows nothing about affirmative action or multi cultural scholarships. I betcha anything she was the recipient of a scholarship or scholarships that was for her ethnicity only.

She is stealing from American citizens who have parents, grandparents and ancestors that have fought and died for this country. Her parents are law breakers who have done nothing but steal jobs from citizens most likely with a fake or stolen id.

Originally Posted by Mayday

Torres said illegal immigrants don't steal seats away from other students. Everyone goes through a competitive application process to determine who is admitted, she said. Those who get in are better qualified, she said.

I can't believe that Torres knows nothing about affirmative action or multi cultural scholarships. I betcha anything she was the recipient of a scholarship or scholarships that was for her ethnicity only.

She is stealing from American citizens who have parents, grandparents and ancestors that have fought and died for this country. Her parents are law breakers who have done nothing but steal jobs from citizens most likely with a fake or stolen id.

Exactly. Send her and her family back to Mexico. She doesn't belong here, she belongs there. She can finish her studies in Mexico and grow up and do something to help her own country.

Torres first came to Roswell when she was 9 on a tourist visa, which expired after about two months. But she and her family continued to live here for two years. She attended fourth and fifth grade at Roswell North Elementary.

They returned to Mexico when she was 11, but returned to Georgia two years later after "discovering we didn't even have money to eat, " Torres said. They again came on a tourist visa and again stayed after it expired.

"This is the only place they know and to not have access to higher education is to deny them access to the American dream," Kuczynski said. "

Big time contradiction here.

Like other young illegal immigrants, Torres didn't understand her family's legal status and its implications until she became old enough to attend college. When asked why she and her family didn't apply for citizenship, Torres said the process is arduous.

"If we could apply for citizenship [or] residency we would," she said. "We would have done it a long time ago. However, it is not as easy as it sounds."

In other words these so called hard working people are too LAZY to even try.

Originally Posted by Mayday

Torres first came to Roswell when she was 9 on a tourist visa, which expired after about two months. But she and her family continued to live here for two years. She attended fourth and fifth grade at Roswell North Elementary.

They returned to Mexico when she was 11, but returned to Georgia two years later after "discovering we didn't even have money to eat, " Torres said. They again came on a tourist visa and again stayed after it expired.

[quote:7vuhnpsx]"This is the only place they know and to not have access to higher education is to deny them access to the American dream," Kuczynski said. "

Big time contradiction here.

Like other young illegal immigrants, Torres didn't understand her family's legal status and its implications until she became old enough to attend college. When asked why she and her family didn't apply for citizenship, Torres said the process is arduous.

"If we could apply for citizenship [or] residency we would," she said. "We would have done it a long time ago. However, it is not as easy as it sounds."

In other words these so called hard working people are too LAZY to even try.[/quote:7vuhnpsx]

Don't they get it? It's not easy because we don't want them here to begin with. That's why coming in without prior permission is against the law. It's why we control the number of immigrants who are allowed to enter our country every year. It's why we fund Border Patrol and ICE. If Americans wanted a open country, open borders and an open society, we wouldn't do that.

"If we could apply for citizenship [or] residency we would," she said. "We would have done it a long time ago. However, it is not as easy as it sounds."

It's not supposed to be "easy!" Mexico sure the hell does not make it easy for anyone just to grab citizenship! Yet the United States is expected to hand out citizenship like candy!

Studying hard and getting good grades is not easy either, yet you managed to do it!

Go back to mexico and go to school there! I have ZERO sympathy for you!

I see no place to post comments at the article, probably because they knew 98% of them would be negative. I don't know why anybody buys these anti-American rags like the AJC.

I like how she said she wasn't stealing a school seat "it's just really competitive". Yea uh huh ,

Why are we paying for these people ? I work 40 hours a week just to make ends meet and I have to pay for their college educations ,medical care food stamps etc ? And worst of all we have Americans out of jobs while these folks are still gainfully employed ? Did we lose the civil war and am I enslaved ?

Mexico really needs these young educated citizens to help change their country.

USA Citizens are the most generous people in the world and are being taken advantage of by a whole host of other countries.

We Cannot take care of every person who wants to be a USA citizen or we will become just like the countries they come from or worse. That may seem harsh but is the unvarnished truth.

Send all of these illegal students back home. My college campus is full of anchor babies and illegals.