Brendan Pringle is an English senior and Mustang Daily conservative columnist.
It was a landmark day for illegal immigrant advocates all over the state of California when Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Dream Act — a bill that grants undocumented college students access to public education aid. As Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lauded, “Today, California invests in the dreams of talented undocumented students and in the economic future of our state.” Oh, what a glorious day!
Hold up.
Didn’t California just cut hundreds of millions of dollars from education this past year?
Where are these millions coming from? If the government has money to distribute to illegal students, why are all the legal students paying the piper in record tuition increases?
In the words of assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-San Bernardino): “If we had millions of dollars lying around, we would not have cut $10 million from veterans or slashed art and band programs from schools” (NBC Bay Area).
The California Dream Act is actually the second of two bills that grant undocumented college students access to educational aid. The first bill, passed in July, allows these students to receive private scholarships. The second bill goes a step further, allowing them to ride on the generosity of the California government for financial support — a government that is already struggling to keep its education system afloat.
Numbers have always been an iffy topic in California politics. Politicians can never really hide the truth about the California budget without a little public speculation. The Los Angeles Times reported that Brown “downplayed the cost to taxpayers” when he estimated that 2,500 additional students would qualify for Cal-Grants, at a cost of $14.5 million (per year).” This amounts to 1 percent of all Cal-Grant funds.
According to a Senate committee analysis, however, the addition of community college fee waivers and institutional grants bumps this total to $40 million a year (Los Angeles Times). In other words, the governor sold this legislation to the public by masking off almost two-thirds of its overall cost.
Oh, the number of student loans $40 million could pay off for “legal” students. But I digress.
If I recall correctly, the California State University (CSU) system received budget cuts to the tune of $650 million this year. A whopping $25.2 million of these cuts came from the Cal Poly budget. And, of course, this translates to tuition increases for all of us — increases that were so dramatic, they triggered campus wide demonstrations across the state.
Just in case you’re wondering, approximately one third of the tuition increase we pay this year covers financial aid. The Chancellor’s Office recommended the increase “because alternative solutions, such as limiting access to campuses with further cuts to enrollment or continuing to cut classes or services, would have dramatic effects on education.”
Hmm … somehow I don’t think opening Cal Grants and institutional grants up to illegal immigrant students is a positive solution to this fiscal problem.
Meanwhile, unemployment for college graduates hovers around 6 percent (not including the underemployed), and a large number are out “Occupying Wall Street” because they are unable to find work. At least, that’s what seems to be their general preoccupation, anyway. Protesters have achieved no general consensus as of yet.
Moral considerations are to be considered. Those who favor this bill say these students were brought here by no fault of their own. They’ve gone through our K-12 education system. Shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to attend college and be treated like every other student?
Okay, but at the same time, sponsoring the college education of illegal immigrants further incentivizes illegal immigration by rewarding those that break the law. As Donnelly notes, “(We’re) rolling out the red carpet for people who have come here the wrong way.” Wouldn’t you want to cross the border if it meant free tuition for your kids?
Citizenship is not an impossible feat by any means. It is, indeed, accessible to those who follow the rules. But when current illegals are rewarded, what message are we sending to other potential illegal immigrants? Is it really fair to those who legally attained citizenship?
Moreover, is it right that legal out-of-staters are forced to pay double in order to make up for the expenses of illegal students? Where’s the fairness in that?
It’s difficult to gauge the future impact of this legislation because undocumented persons are, well, undocumented. With such unreliable cost projections, Cal Poly professors and administrators would probably label such a program as “unsustainable.”
Shouldn’t education be “sustainable” as well?
As you mull over that ever-climbing college debt that awaits you after graduation, consider all of the illegal students you will soon be putting through college.
Surely, this will help you sleep better at night.
First, in order for undocumented students to be eligible for aid they must provide evidence that they are in the process of applying for citizenship, which negates your argument about illegal immigrants being rewarded for breaking the law.
Additionally, being lucky enough to be a citizen of the United States doesn’t confer exclusive rights to the education system. Undocumented student, by no fault of their own, cannot work to pay their way through school and without having access to federal and private financial aid would not to able to receive a college education. They shouldn’t be blocked out of the system.
You seem to think that EVERY single undocumented student will be given full financial aid. This is clearly not the case, they will merely have the opportunity to be considered for aid. The highest achieving students and those who need aid the most should be allocated financial aid and if they happen to be undocumented, so be it. In order for the California school system to be competitive they must take the best students and provide the aid that allows the best students to attend.
The “affidavit” to become a US citizen is not enforceable. “The Best and the Brightest”–I don’t think so. Community Colleges do not have a minimum GPA requirement (fee (tuition) waivers and EOPS) and other State aid requires only a 2.0-2.6 GPA with certain Institutional and Transfer Grants as unlimited.
im not saying illegal immigrants are bad but my belief is that you have to help yourself that needs it before you help others because if you struggle to aid yourself how can you truly help others, for example how can you justify student loans for illegal immigrants when the government is cutting money in other parts of the budget like senior care and care for people with disabilities
AB 131 covers free State financial aid. Loans are Federal. Illegal Alien Students are not eligible for any direct (though there are some Indirect Federal Programs) Federal Aid. Loans are given out to Legal Students when they don’t know their rights of receiving their fair share of aid or are not at all eligible.
First off I would like to say your argument fails to mention various aspects of the debate, some which were already mentioned by other people. One I feel is important is that funds for Cal Grants etc. is money that is already allocated and cannot be simply taken out and used to decrease the amount of cuts to both UC and CSU systems. Secondly, the amount rewarded for state financial aid is only a fraction of the cost in comparison to the overall cost to attend either a CSU or UC. You are suggesting that we are putting illegals through college when in reality we are merely opening the door for them. Lastly, you fail to mention that these illegal students must also meet the same requirements as any other student applying for aid.
Also, I would like to point out the error in your statement when you say “Just in case you’re wondering, approximately one third of the tuition increase we pay this year covers financial aid.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel that you are trying to make the readers feel that illegal students are the only ones receiving aid and that we “the legal students” are paying for them. Umm reality check, 91% of full-time undergraduates receive some sort of financial aid. Now, do you really think 91% of full-time undergrads here at Cal Poly are illegal?
Ah, but you forget to mention fee (tuition) waivers and EOPS for Community College and unlimited Institutional and Transfer Grants. That’s why the correct amount for the first year alone is $38 Million.
^The man has a point. Your article is shoving too much of your opinion and veils many of the problems that higher education faces. Tuition rises along with operating cost (inflated professor salaries & “unsustainable” pension plans). And you blame “illegal students”?
If the cake is out there, you’re not going to serve yourself a piece? I’m sure that part of the sales tax these “illegals” pay goes towards education grants, why not reclaim a part of it? Someone else mentioned these students have to be on a path towards citizenship. Isn’t it a good thing that the final end product is someone who has gone through the education system and now feels indebted and will therefore make a contribution to US society?
I don’t think I saw blame mentioned in the article, simply some information that helps make the apparent more apparent for some who need the help.
Glad to see you back in the saddle, Brendan!
Ask students what are some ways Americans pay taxes, as in income tax and sales tax. Undocumented immigrants pay taxes every time they buy gas, clothes or new appliances. They also contribute to property taxes—a main source of school funding—when they buy or rent a house, or rent an apartment. The Social Security Administration estimates that half to three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes, including $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security taxes for benefits they will never get. They can receive schooling and emergency medical care, but not welfare or food stamps.
This is an excellent article. It states all what’s wrong with AB 131 while showing how it doesn’t help anyone but hurts many.
This is not an excellent article you jack ass, it is a racist biased article just like you!
It’s definitely not racist.
well said, Bull.
I am a supporter of giving certain undocumented students the right to an education in our country. At the same time I am an American who is concerned for our country’s current economic challenges. Very seldom do i side or express congratulation to conservative perspectives. I however have to say you did an excellent job writing this article and keeping race, bigotry, and other often used negative and false arguments in your presentation. Kudos! I greatly appreciate it.
The current problem according to what you are presenting lies in the hypocrisy of our elected officials and the discussions focusing on budget and money available/unavailable. All of that a huge argument in itself. However the main intentions of my message was to thank you for your very well put perspective. Even if your a conservative:)
~10% of California’s population are illegal immigrants. That’s a lot.
Denying them their right to get educated is egoistic. Thanks for crushing their “American Dream,” jerk.
We should giv financial aid to EVERYONE if were gonna give it out. Why do politicians get to pick who gets what. Im not rich! I wanna go get exucated! Too bad i was born here…. Does mexico burden their citizens with fees for financial aid in their education system. fees which benefit illegal aliens?