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In-state Tuition for Illegal Immigrants?

RabidAlpaca

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I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?

Citizens are denied in-state tuition if they're Maryland residents?
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?
I know why Texas does it, Your residency and immigration status have nothing to do with each other.
If a person has been residing in Texas for 2 years, they are a resident, and get in state tuition.
Educated people pay much higher taxes on average than uneducated people.
Immigration status is not even asked on the application.
 
If you're too lazy to read up on it, I'm not going to break it down for you.
Sorry, I looked,
"However, in order to qualify students are required to have attended a Maryland high school for three years, as well as prove that their parents or themselves filed taxes."
So they have to have resided in Maryland and filed taxes there for 3 years.
 
If you're too lazy to read up on it, I'm not going to break it down for you.

I read it...and I'm not seeing what rights this grants to illegal immigrants that Maryland residents who are citizens don't already have. And the fact that you got so hostile to a simple question indicates that you know perfectly well that what you said isn't true.

It's quite simple: The federal government, not the states, enforce immigration laws. So from a state perspective, the question is would you rather have a state full of educated people or a state full of dummies?
 
Academia is in charge!

The OP does not understand the academic, media and government community that is almost completely in charge in America.
Academics have been taking it on the chin since the new economy makes their degress worth - less than they were before.
They need more tuition, more government payments, and that requires more students. They can't get the working class
to send their kids to college so why not the criminals we allow to live here freely?
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?

Some states wish to attract illegals like Roaches to a trash bin and other states seek to discourage illegals. My state fortunately is a state that discourages illegal immigration.
 
I read it...and I'm not seeing what rights this grants to illegal immigrants that Maryland residents who are citizens don't already have. And the fact that you got so hostile to a simple question indicates that you know perfectly well that what you said isn't true.

It's quite simple: The federal government, not the states, enforce immigration laws.

Then why did you post a question that you already knew the answer to? Seems kind of silly doesn't it?

Giving special privileges to illegal immigrants that you do not afford to actual citizens of this country doesn't make a lick of sense.

So from a state perspective, the question is would you rather have a state full of educated people or a state full of dummies?
Does the illegal immigrant population constitute the "state full" term? I've just got this crazy notion that our government should be focusing on our citizens instead of someone else's.
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?

See, it's this kind of crap that will prevent me from ever actually identifying myself as truly liberal. Why in the name of **** should I be paying for someone who is in the country illegaly to get an education? That makes no damn sense at all.
 
Because illegals ****ing pay taxes too - especially those in Maryland where most of that income is deducted right off of your payroll. They work and contribute to their local economies and their local communities in Maryland more than any out-of-state resident does. They are Marylanders in all but the formal sense. And the bill attaches tons of conditions and restrictions on who qualifies and who doesn't.

And I for one am proud to say that I'm one of the people who voted to pass this referendum.
 
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Then why did you post a question that you already knew the answer to? Seems kind of silly doesn't it?

What is the answer?

Giving special privileges to illegal immigrants that you do not afford to actual citizens of this country doesn't make a lick of sense.

Come on, just spell it out instead of beating around the bush. What rights do you think are being granted to illegal immigrants who are residents of Maryland, which aren't also available to US citizens who are residents of Maryland? This discussion will be a lot more simple if you can just provide a clear answer to that question.

Does the illegal immigrant population constitute the "state full" term? I've just got this crazy notion that our government should be focusing on our citizens instead of someone else's.

Take it up with the federal government. All Maryland can do is decide how it wants to handle its state residents (regardless of their citizenship status). And apparently they decided that providing their residents with affordable education is a good thing. Go figure.
 
Because illegals ****ing pay taxes too - especially those in Maryland where most of that income is deducted right off of your payroll.

Most illegals work under the table and work in law wage jobs that don't pay enough for them to qualify paying federal taxes.So how are they paying income taxes?
 
Oh no, Maryland better watch out! Mexican immigrants are going to travel by the truckload 2000 miles to go to college. Come on, grow up. They still have to pay for it.
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?

Because illegals vote, too you know. Since they are voters, you have pander to them, or you will be out of a job as a politician.
 
Oh no, Maryland better watch out! Mexican immigrants are going to travel by the truckload 2000 miles to go to college. Come on, grow up. They still have to pay for it.

And they aren't going to go to college when they can get free **** anyway.
 
it makes it easier to get a visa to avoid deportation to be in college and they likely had no choice in coming here.
 
It's a red herring for liberals to get votes from the Mexicans. Most Mexicans can't get out of high school, let alone go on to college. They like Community Colleges though, the 13th grade, but that's where it ends. Additionally, no one is going to be able to meet the requirement of proving they have paid taxes the previous three years before enrolling to quickly become a brain surgeon.
 
I think most here are missing the point, the states do not subsidize the cost of education
for their residence out of kindness, but for the increase in tax revenue.
I was on a collage advisory board for over 5 years in the early 90s.
At that point in time the state could expect about $33 back for each dollar spent on higher ed.
A large percent of college graduates stay in the state where they graduated, they buy
houses, cars, stuff, eat out, ect, and pay lots of taxes.
So from the states cost model, immigration status is not important.
 
I've gone back and forth on this issue.

Illegal residents who were transported into the country as minors by their parents are not the illegal residents I'm interested in targeting first and foremost for deportation, fines, or penalties. A minor child in any practical situation has no choice but to follow the lead of their parents or guardians, and most children of illegal aliens end up being law-abiding, contributing members of society.

That said, I don't think we should give them ANY incentives granted to legal citizens unless some sort of mandatory path-to-citizenship program is part of said offerings. In-state tuition should go first and foremost to legal qualifying residents. Illegal residents seeking same should be simultaneously enrolled in citizenship programs that will culminate in them becoming legal citizens before graduation. I feel it is paramount to ensuring that educated immigrant children are actually able to contribute financially without putting hiring companies at risk of violating federal law, and ensuring that the money spent on them is not "wasted" because they end up taking under-the-table positions or breaking the law by committing ID fraud.
 
I'm a fan of just about all of the referendums passed in the recent election, but I am absolutely baffled by one in Maryland:

The Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum, which allows illegal immigrants the ability to pay in-state tuition at Maryland colleges.

Why is it that we are trying to afford illegal immigrants benefits that citizens are denied?

The legislation in question was approved by both houses of the Maryland General Assembly during the 2011 legislative session. Senate Bill 167 would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state or in-county tuition at Maryland colleges. However, in order to qualify students are required to have attended a Maryland high school for three years, as well as prove that their parents or themselves filed taxes. Initially, students that qualify would have to attend a community college. However, after two years, the students can transfer to a four year university. According to reports, the legislation is estimated to cost $3.5 million by 2016.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Maryland_In-State_Tuition_Referendum,_Question_4_(2012)

$3.5 million cost of this program is peanuts compared to having thousands of uneducated immigrants in the state. I think it's a good idea. We'd better get used to this stuff, folks. It's coming.
 
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