Thread: AR: State checking collegians’ Social Security numbers

State checking collegians’ Social Security numbers
BY LAURA KELLAMS


The Arkansas Department of Higher Education has begun checking students’ Social Security numbers and alerting colleges and universities if they appear invalid.

Jim Purcell, the department director, said Thursday that the goal is to ensure that illegal aliens aren’t allowed to pay instate tuition rates when state officials think they’re ineligible under federal law. The investigation into the Social Security numbers began last week after Purcell alerted institutions, at the direction of Gov. Mike Beebe, that they need to ask students for evidence of legal residency before allowing them to pay the cheaper in-state rates.

Purcell said the first check flagged about 2, 000 Social Security numbers from the 2007-08 academic year that appear to be invalid, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the students are illegal aliens. They could include international students in the country legally or U. S. citizens who don’t want to share their Social Security numbers, he said.

That figure represents less than 2 percent of the total student population in Arkansas colleges and universities that year. There were about 121, 000 students enrolled at the beginning of the fall 2007 semester.

The department will ask colleges and universities to check if those students have a legitimate reason to have an invalid Social Security number on file, such as being in the country on a student visa. If the students with invalid numbers are paying in-state tuition, they’ll need to show proof of legal residency, he said.

“We’ll probably send them the information to make sure they check for the future, that those students in the fall will not get something they don’t deserve,â€

So at least some of these little darlings are in the country illegally using bogus SSNs to pay cheaper college rates. How many things are wrong with this picture.

I'd say this is a good first step. But moving on to the bigger picture, admission to an American college should be denied to anyone residing here illegally.

My thing is also to help the Americans who have had THEIR identities stolen. I see that as the greater result than one an illegal makies up one that screws all of America, instead of a persons whole live.
Good for you Arkansas!

Originally Posted by zeezil

I'd say this is a good first step. But moving on to the bigger picture, admission to an American college should be denied to anyone residing here illegally.

I agree. Good first step. This segment really stood out to me


"Purcell said the first check flagged about 2, 000 Social Security numbers from the 2007-08 academic year that appear to be invalid, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the students are illegal aliens. They could include international students in the country legally or U. S. citizens who don’t want to share their Social Security numbers, he said."

Let's say half are illegals. That's 1,000 college seats filled by people who shouldn't be here and denying seats to American kids.

Someone who entered this country in violation of our immigration laws should be entitled to NOTHING! This is how insane this entire debate has become. There should be no discussions regarding instate/out-of-state tuition because they shouldn't be allowed to attend college period. It's bad enough they are allowed to attend K-12 if here illegally.

Every perk/break these law breakers are given only provides incentive for more illegal behavior. We allow them to attend college and then what? I suppose they are going to want a job thereafter.

It's disgusting that our elected represenatives do not have the courage to do what's right by the way of AMERICAN Citizens and not the illegal invaders. We have American citizens who are not going to get any breaks to attend college and perhaps will not ultimately attend because of that.

Further, it's an outrage that an illegal could possibly take the spot of an American Citizen who deserves that spot well before an illegal invader scoflaw.

This whole issue makes my blood boil

They obviously need courses on personal ethics and responsibility -- in their home countries.

Originally Posted by Populist

They obviously need courses on personal ethics and responsibility -- in their home countries.

They are taught that the whole west is theirs. . . .