<p>Coverage at The New York Times - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/us/florida-set-to-offer-in-state-tuition-to-children-brought-to-us-illegally.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/us/florida-set-to-offer-in-state-tuition-to-children-brought-to-us-illegally.html</a> (ADDED)</p>
<p>Isn't this just going to encourage people to come to this country illegally rather than following protocol and waiting in line like everybody else? </p>
<p>It will have little impact on illegal immigration (to Florida). You have to attend a Florida school for at least three years prior to graduation. I don’t think many illegals will move to Florida, trying to get in-state tuition for their 9th grader. </p>
<p>The knock against it is cost (50 million a year) and perceived fairness. A US citizen from Georgia or Texas has to pay the out of state rate, but an illegal in Florida does not.</p>
<p>But would a US citizen who lived in the state for three years have to pay the out of state rate?</p>
<p>How about an international student who has legally been in the country and lived in state for 3 years and graduated from a FL high school? </p>
<p>Why is it unfair if the family of the illegal immigrant has been paying FL taxes like everyone else in the state?</p>
<p>^I think the argument goes that an illegal immigrant is by definition not a legal resident of the state or country, but s/he gets in-state tuition, while a legal resident of the country cannot get in-state tuition. </p>
<p>Another argument is that since the immigrant cannot receive federal funds or loans, the schools give them a disproportionate amount of state funds and other in-state citizen students get less. Since the federal funds are a set amount that the citizen-state student would have received anyway, they really are losing funds.</p>
<p>The best argument is that they cannot legally obtain a job after graduation. Most employers requiring college degrees will check citizenship/immigration status.</p>
<p>They are ILLEGALLY in the country. Do you see all the border guards and procedures we have, the money we spend, to keep people from illegally entering the country? We have a whole department for that. We don’t permit US employers to legally hire those who are illegally here. And there are a lot of them who do not pay ANY taxes. Many who do, use stolen social security numbers causing all kind of trouble. </p>
<p>Now there are those who say that having these illegals here are a boost to us. I don’t know what the net effect is, but I think going through so much to keep people out and then giving the law breakers who get through the systems in place is a hypocritical way to work, makes a mockery of our laws and rewards those who disregard them. </p>
<p>I live in an area that has a huge number of illegal immigrants. I think it’s ridiculous that we have laws providing, abetting, protecting them. It’s become a system in itself. Costs all of us money.</p>
<p>Cpt: I agree. Many of these so-called Dreamers have known for years that they are illegal, but have done nothing such as hiring an immigration lawyer to try and become a legal resident. </p>
<p>For those that ask, here are Florida’s current requirements for in-state tuition.</p>
<p>@moonchild A US citizen only needs to prove residency for 12 months, prior to the first day of class.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse A permanent resident alien or legal alien granted indefinite stay only has to meet the 12 month requirement. Florida also has a law that allows students from many Latin American/Caribbean countries to claim in-state tuition if they are award a scholarship (of almost any type). These students do not need to met the 12 month requirement.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Here is a long list of exceptions:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s all so SIMPLE! :)</p>
<p>Whenever I see a controversial issue get passed, besides considering the pros and cons for the people involved, I also wonder what the pros and cons are for the politicians involved- who will gain votes, is this a trade off for votes, or maybe that keeping people divided over something makes sure that someone doesn’t get all the votes. </p>
<p>Maybe I’ve been watching Survivor too much. 
</p>
<p>^^ Pennylane, I had the same thought. I imagine that the reasons behind this have to do with currying favor with certain voters.</p>
<p>This subject is bound to get heated. But may I respectfully ask that folks not call other human beings “illegals”. They are decent, hard-working, teenagers for goodness sake. Similar in many ways to your own children. </p>
<p>The bill (HB 851) refers to them as “students who are undocumented for federal immigration purposes”. If they meet the criteria, they are awarded an out-of-state tuition waiver, so for all other reasons, they will be counted as “nonresident students”. This means, for example, that they are not eligible for (some?) state financial aid.</p>
<p>I’m all in favor of it, but I wouldn’t think something like this would pass given the apparent animosity of most of the citizenry.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How exactly is a poor immigrant teenager supposed to come up with the resources to hire an immigration lawyer? </p>
<p>Anyway, public universities give all sorts of tuition waivers to OOS kids, whether for sports, academic scholarships, or reciprocity with other states.</p>
<p>I call them “illegals” and will so continue to call them until they are legally in this country. The US government made moves to evict my SIL who was here in this country due to a job–work visa ran out in April, May. She was accepted to Harvard but that student visa was not valid until Aug/Sept. A Fulbright scholar who had worked in the US for years, they were all set to have her thrown out–but them my brother married her, something they were putting off until his military hardship tour was over. Cost the government over $80K that my brother made that move because they then had to pay her a hardship allowance as an officer’s wife. Served them right. The amount of paperwork, harrassment and interrogation was ridiculous. And yet, down the street from me, the cops aren’t allowed to ask for ID or anything when they loiter on the street corners looking for pick up work. To avoid a prostitute type set up my town set up a lot for them to do this. They come from all over to get picked for jobs. If you think that most of them, or any pay taxes on that money, you are out of your mind. Many in my development go to pick them up to do yard work or clean up. All cash in hand. Also cuts out work for young people ,hurts those trying to run a fair, legitimate business in lawn, clean up. There are all kinds of businesses set up in my town for fake ids, buy ssns, tax shells, buy a spouse for permanent residency. </p>
<p>^^^It’s an election year in Florida, and the Republican Governor (Scott) is using it against the likely democratic candidate (Crist), who, while Governor (he was a republican at the time) voted against it. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>"…I respectfully ask that folks not call other human beings illegals."</p>
<p>Sorry, this argument is a false attempt to demonize honest people who want the government to take rational and fair action about the problem of people furtively crossing our borders…an act that is clearly characterized as ‘illegal immigration’ by every nation on Earth, including the most egalitarian of nations.</p>