The student newspaper for California State University in Fresno has outed student body president Pedro Ramirez for being in the country illegally. Here is a link to the college newspaper story, which was based on an anonymous tip.

An excerpt from the story:

An anonymous e-mail was recently sent to The Collegian that said Associated Students, Inc. President Pedro Ramirez was serving without pay because of his undocumented status. Ramirez confirmed this information.

Ramirez said that ASI administrators were aware that he would not be paid for the ASI position, but he willfully accepted it as a volunteer position.

"For me, it's an emotional issue," Ramirez said. "Not a lot of people know that I am undocumented. A lot of people I go to class with...students, faculty, staff and staff administrators think I'm a normal student."

Ramirez was born in Mexico and his parents brought him to the U.S. when he was 3 years old.

The news comes just days after the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that immigration status should not be a factor in determining whether students meet in-state residency requirements.

Here is the full statement from University President John Welty.

Welty says, in part, that Ramirez filed the appropriate paperwork when he applied for admission, and immigration status is not a factor in eligibility for student government service.

"Soon after his election, he personally notified me and ASI advisers about his immigration status, and volunteered to serve without pay as president, since his status does not allow him to receive a paycheck," Welty wrote. "I commend Mr. Ramirez and other... students who are following state statute as they seek higher education."

The LA Times has more details, including calls from some students for Ramirez to resign.

"He misled the students ... he should step down," Cole Rojewski, president of the campus' College Republicans and one of Ramirez's opponents in the race for president, said in a television interview.

Another anchor baby thumbing his nose at the system and those LEGAL immigrants who followed the law....

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/arch ... fresn.html