Even with college degrees, would-be professionals still can't be hired legally

By Joe Guzzardi | Published on 08.30.2011
In the endless immigration debate, there’s one constant. Advocates insist that it’s wrong to punish young adults brought to the United States before they reached the age of reason. Many argue that since these youngsters are America’s future doctors, lawyers and academics, a DREAM Act amnesty should be passed.

In California, as you might expect, since it has the nation’s highest concentration of illegal immigrants, the circumstances are slightly different — meaning they’re worse. California has had a DREAM Act since 2001. Illegal aliens have attended California’s universities and colleges at low instate tuition rates for a decade. But, as always, illegal immigrants and their lobby want more. Gov. Jerry Brown may be prepared to give it to them.

Last week, the California Senate Appropriations Committee passed Assembly Bill 131, which would allow alien students to qualify for public financial aid at state schools and to access up to $40 million in taxpayer funded Cal Grants. With California losing its fight to rein in the multibillion-dollar budget deficit and with public school teachers getting pink slips, it’s scandalous that Brown would consider favorable tuition rates for illegal immigrants. But remember, we’re talking about California, where the Hispanic Caucus dominates the Legislature and regular, working citizens are less influential than the multiple organizations that push for more Hispanic entitlements.

Despite the millions of laudatory words published about the California DREAM Act, the most important question has never been asked. Since employers can’t legally hire illegal immigrants, what do those would-be professionals do with their university degrees? After all is said and done, the graduates are still illegal aliens.
No doubt the students anticipate an amnesty. But that’s wishful thinking. Congresses and White Houses controlled by both Democrats and Republicans have soundly and consistently defeated amnesty for years. What’s on the immediate horizon, mandatory E-Verify and in 2012 a Republican Senate majority, spells bad news for aliens and their supporters.

I’ve always wondered what happens to illegal immigrant college graduates. Recently, I found out, The New Journal, Yale University’s student publication, wrote about Teresa Serrano’s travails. According to author Liane Membis, Serrano’s parents brought her at an early age to the United States from Honduras. She did well in school and, claiming to be an “international student,â€