Thread: UT: Immigrant tuition perk is targeted

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650222858,00.html

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Immigrant tuition perk is targeted

By Deborah Bulkeley
Deseret Morning News

Claudia remembers her shattered hopes when she first discovered she was undocumented. She also remembers her mother's tears of joy when she found out about a state law that allows qualified undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

"My mother's face was so excited," said Claudia, who asked not to be identified because of her immigration status. "It's a wonderful blessing to have."

Today, Claudia is an engineering student at the University of Utah. She hopes someday she will earn legal status — either through legislation or a pending application — in the state that's been her home since she was 8 years old.

But a 2002 law that made her college education possible is under attack for the fourth time in the Utah Legislature. Opponents say the law is illegal under federal law and unfair to students from other states who are U.S. citizens and who pay a higher tuition rate.

Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, is again sponsoring a measure to repeal the tuition law. HB224, likely to be heard in the House Education Committee this week, is one of several bills proposed this session that target illegal immigration.

Donnelson said he's sponsoring the bill because the tuition policy is "against federal law" and could leave the state vulnerable to a lawsuit.

Concerns about potential litigation controlled the debate last year, although the Utah Attorney General's Office has said the law is sound. Those concerns were in large part spurred by a federal lawsuit over a similar Kansas law. That lawsuit was dismissed but is now under appeal in the same court that oversees Utah.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that as many as 100,000 illegal immigrants live in Utah, and the proposed bills are at least in part brought on by frustration over the federal government's lack of action on the issue.

Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, said the three bills she's planning to sponsor aren't targeting immigrants but unlawful residents. Morgan said her bills are, in part, inspired by a comprehensive package of measures Colorado passed last year.

Morgan's bills, yet to be introduced as of Friday, would create a $50,000 civil fine for forging, counterfeiting or altering identity documents. The bills also would restrict access to public benefits such as retirement, unemployment and welfare for the undocumented and would pursue federal reimbursement for state costs associated with illegal immigration.

"I would like to see our state reimbursed for some of these costs that are just increasing," Morgan said. "The other (purpose) is to send a message to prompt the federal government to act and to realize the states out West are really struggling with this issue."

Other bills Donnelson has introduced for this session include HB220, which would repeal driving privilege cards; HB230, which would add U.S. citizenship or legal resident status as a requirement for obtaining a residential child-care certificate; and HB105, which would direct the Utah Department of Public Safety to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow certain state or local law enforcement officers to perform some functions of federal immigration officers.

A bill planned by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, would require businesses contracting with the state of Utah to participate in a federal employment eligibility program for their employees.

While he hasn't had time to review all the pending legislation, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. continues to support keeping the current law in place when it comes to the driving-privilege card for undocumented immigrants and in-state tuition for undocumented students, said Lisa Roskelley, a spokeswoman for the governor.

However, noting that bills often change as they move through the legislative process, Roskelley stopped short of saying the governor would veto any such legislation.

"We're going to have to look at the legislation," Roskelley said. "He supports the law as it currently stands."

The slate of bills proposed this session has Latino rights activists concerned.

"It's drive-by legislation," said Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. "Whatever hits, hits."

Yapias says state lawmakers may be jumping the gun on the Democrat-controlled Congress, which he believes is more likely to reach consensus on immigration reform than the Republican-controlled Congress.

Archie Archuleta, co-chairman of the bipartisan Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force, said the group will be looking at the broad spectrum of bills impacting "documented, undocumented and Hispanics in general."

Amid all the issues, education remains a key focal point, Archuleta said, noting the task force actively will be supporting measures such as all-day kindergarten while fighting against the proposed tuition repeal.

"Here are students who have attended high school for at least three years and graduated and are good citizens looking at improving their education," Archuleta said. "They've really established residence, even though their parents may be undocumented."

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Kleenex provided

http://www.kcpw.org/article/2652

Immigration Debate Heats Up
Jan 15, 2007 by Julie Rose

(KCPW News) National experts predict immigration will the hottest issue in state capitols this year. And Utah is set to meet that expectation. Utah's Governor, the United Way and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce have all vowed to fight a measure that would take away in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants at state universities.
"Those kids that are here that are going to school, they have to be dealt with," says Clark Ivory, CEO of Ivory Homes and a member of the board of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. "We have to help them succeed. If they fail they will be a cost to us all and we can't afford that."

For a second time, State Representative Glenn Donnelson is attempting to repeal in-state tuition benefits and driving privileges for undocumented immigrants. He also hopes to give immigration enforcement powers to local police officers and has expressed a desire to crack down on businesses that hire illegal aliens. Ivory says lawmakers need to realize businesses aren't the problem:

"I think it's time for them to wake up and realize that businesses are doing the best they can," says Ivory. "And until reform takes place on a national level, they can't really start inventing anything else."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, thirty-two states approved new immigration laws in 2006. Utah lawmakers have already filed at least four immigration related bills for the legislative session that begins today.

the United Way and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce have all vowed to fight a measure that would take away in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants at state universities

And that is another reason why I will never give another penny to the United Way.

I stopped giving to them over 5 years ago when I found out what they are really all about.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=816725

Legislators Vote to Eliminate In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants
January 19th, 2007 @ 12:05pm
(KSL News) The legislature will try and tackle a number of issues on the hill today, including in-state tuition for illegal immigrants and protecting children from pornography.

This is the fourth year in a row that a bill to repeal in-state college tuition for eligible undocumented students has been introduced during the session.

Backers of the bill say letting students illegally go to college at a reduced rate gives them false hope for the future since it is likely they will not be able to get jobs later on.

Last week, Governor Huntsman said he would consider vetoing such a bill if it makes it to his desk.

Other bills being considered by the legislature today include a measure to designate certain internet ports for adult content to prevent children from viewing the material.

And a comprehensive traffic reform bill that could raise the speed limit by 5 miles an hour in some places.

http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_023095613.html

clock Jan 23, 2007 7:40 am US/Mountain
Cost Of Illegal Immigrants In Schools Studied

SALT LAKE CITY An audit looking at the cost of educating illegal immigrants in Utah public schools is in the beginning stages.

Auditor General John Schaff says the review is just getting started and will likely look at general costs by level of education and school district.

He says the legislator who requested the audit has asked to remain anonymous until the study is finished.

Utah Office of Education spokesman Mark Peterson says the information will probably be hard to compile because public schools cannot ask about a student's immigration status.

The U-S Supreme Court has ruled that all children have a constitutional right to a free public education, regardless of immigration status.

An advocate for Latino immigrants in Utah, Tony Yapias, questions the motive of the person who asked for the audit, noting it will only examine the cost of educating children and NOT the benefits.

Yapias suggests such a request is a form of immigrant intimidation.

Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble (a Provo Republican) says he didn't know about the audit, but it will be an important piece of information for legislators.