Thread: Texas lawmakers consider bills to chip away at benefits

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In Our View: Tough Talk



Texas lawmakers consider bills to chip away at benefits for illegal immigrants




The Texas Legislature is talking tough on illegal immigration.




Whether they can get past talk to action is another matter.




Several bills now in the state House would limit benefits to illegal aliens in Texas.




Among them is House Bill 28, which would cut off children of illegal immigrants from receiving state assistance. This includes food stamps, health care and public housing.




House Bill 29 would let the state charge an 8 percent fee to transfer money between Texas and Mexico, Central America and South America. The money would go toward paying for indigent health care.




House Bill 104 and House Bill 141 go after illegal immigrants who want to get an education, denying them in-state tuition rates at public universities in the state.




Despite the current climate over illegal immigration, passage is far from certain.




House Bill 28 is especially problematic. Children born in the U.S. are automatically citizens, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. This means the bill would invite a major constitutional challenge. And even the most fervent opponents of illegal immigration would have a tough time selling a law that denies essentials such as food, housing and medical care services to children, no matter how they came to be in this country.




It’s unlikely House Bill 28 ever will make it into law.




Barring illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition rates at state universities is an idea that is sure to be popular with the public.




But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Since 2001 when the Legislature passed the law granting in-state tuition to Texas high school graduates no matter what their immigration status, thousands of students have been given the opportunity to get a two-year or four-year education. That means children of illegal aliens have a chance to forge a better life and contribute to the state and country.




But many more are not affected at all. Even in-state rates are out of reach for most illegal immigrant families.




The idea of charging a fee on money transactions to pay for indigent health care has promise, as one of the main reasons illegal immigrants come to this side of the border is to earn money to send home.




But there is certain to be a pretty big effort from finance industry lobbyists to stop the bill. There are companies out there that already make a lot of money by charging high fees to transfer money. The last thing they want is the state horning in on their action and possibly driving customers away.




These days, taking a tough stand on illegal immigration always plays well to the voters back home. But the children of illegal immigrants are innocent victims in all of this. The Legislature should direct any laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration at the immigrants themselves, not their children.

House Bill 28 is especially problematic. Children born in the U.S. are automatically citizens, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. This means the bill would invite a major constitutional challenge.

Maybe it would push it onto the plate of the Supreme Court. Get some clarification.