<p>If they are in the country illegally then they are illegals. What is so difficult to understand about that. I have some sympathy for kids that come as small babies and toddlers whose parents illegally fail to follow the path to citizenship or are on the path and have been for over a decade but did not allow enough time to complete. But in general, I find it repugnant to give special treatment to people who are breaking the law. </p>
<p>Sally: By that reasoning, no poor person should have to try and become legal by hiring an immigration attorney. Yet, the yellow pages are full of them and many work pro bono or in legal aid clinics. </p>
<p>And the word ‘illegals’ is fine. “Undocumented” implies that they are waiting for paperwork or lost their paperwork rather than breaking the law, never intending to get ‘documented’. </p>
<p>I would ask that you at least say “illegal alien”. Calling someone an “illegal” isn’t even grammatically correct. And I don’t really see it as giving “special” treatment (though I understand the fiscal reluctance). They are for all intents and purposes no different than any other kid who has gone through the school system (a right that they have, no argument is really to be accepted there), other than how they arrived.</p>
<p>^^AND if colleges accept young people that have been in the country for over a decade with parents who are breaking the law then that acceptance should come with a contingency that the students immediately begin the process to become a citizen I would like the lawmakers to spend more time on getting those children of people in the country illegally who are in our colleges and have been in the country for at least a decade quicker citizenship. Maybe conferring citizenship upon completion of a college degree. </p>
<p>I do believe that young people who have been here almost their entire life should not suffer because they have parents who are breaking the law. There needs to be a quicker path for those students to become legal US citizens.</p>
<p>Well, children will always suffer for the mistakes of their parents. That’s nothing new, either. The term dreamers bugs me. It’s a very romanticized way to describe the kids of illegal aliens.</p>
<p>I don’t know how they are going to work out the financial aid aspect. There are so many compelling sides to this issue that it is not something people can easily resolve. One is the hard working teen who is brought here through no action of his/her own, does well in school and gains admission to college. One can easily argue for giving that teen a chance. On the other side is that space in college, and finances are limited, and if that teen takes the place of another hard working teen whose parents are legally residing in Florida, then this would seem very unfair to that teen and family.</p>
<p>Florida is not the first state to offer this. New Mexico has been doing it for a long time, and in fact offered it to undocumented students from surrounding states for a long time, so it was much cheaper for a Colorado high school student to go to NM for college than pay the OOS Colorado tuition (Colorado now has a similar provision to Florida’s). California has now allowed undocumented law school grads to take the bar and be admitted. Basically the states are just telling the feds they don’t care what the fed law says anymore.</p>
<p>Undocumented children cannot just apply for citizenship, nor can your average adult. They need some kind of hook (relative, special skill, millions of dollars committed to a business). It’s not as simple as just applying. Even with the Dream Act they can’t just apply.</p>
<p>Which is why I believe the feds ought to figure out a path for these kids…the adults who brought them here but refused to comply with the law I have zero sympathy for, but the kids need a path to citizenship if they are heading for college. I can’t separate out the kids who grow up in our public school system, and graduate from our high schools with good enough grades to go to college simply because they have law breaking parents. I don’t have a problem with states or the feds giving them the same consideration for funding as they do children who were born in this country. It’s the parents I have problems with whether or not they pay “taxes.” They know the law and they know they are breaking the law by coming into this country illegally. </p>
<p>Maybe the deal should be that the kids get in state tuition if their parents agree to go back to their country of citizenship. </p>
<p>
Lots of people pay taxes to the state of FL, including business owners, vacation home owners, and tourists posing w Mickey Mouse at Disney World. </p>
<p>I’d support just naturalizing them all to end this nonsense and the subtle racism. </p>
<p>I’m glad to see Florida taking steps to recognize that their undocumented residents are in fact residents and have something to contribute. Bravo!</p>
<p>From the left: These are ALL hard working people who just want the American dream
From the right: These are ALL freeloaders living off of the system.</p>
<p>Truth: perhaps somewhere in the middle???</p>
<p>It’s not racism, it’s protectionism. </p>
<p>The problem is they are either illegal or they aren’t. It can’t be both. </p>
<p>I thought some more information would be good.
<a href=“http://www.nilc.org/basic-facts-instate.html”>http://www.nilc.org/basic-facts-instate.html</a></p>
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<p>From my vantage point living overseas, I see other foreign nationals who also want the American dream. I drive past by the U.S. Embassy every day, and I see the long queue of visa applicants, snaking down the avenue. </p>
<p>What incredible chumps these people are to patiently wait in line and play by the rules. If they just ‘cut the queue’ and stay in the U.S. illegally, not only can they have the American dream sooner, they can even get free public school education for their kids, followed by a subsidized college education. </p>
<p>@GMTplus7 with so many employers checking immigration status for white collar jobs I doubt these educated illegals will have “the American Dream” sooner or at all. </p>
<p>@frugaldoctor - ALL US companies are legally required to only employ individuals who are legally able to work in the US:</p>
<p><a href=“Home”>http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify</a></p>
<p>Without the ability to work in the US at a job requiring a college degree (or any job), allowing illegal immigrants to attend public u at subsidized tuition rates is a wasteful use of limited resources. </p>
<p>Well…they can all simply go to Law School!</p>
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<p>To be honest, that last amendment (must have a work permit) does limit who would qualify in Florida (currently to just one person, Mr. Godinez-Samperio). </p>
<p><a href=“http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-02/news/sns-rt-us-usa-florida-immigration-20140502_1_law-license-florida-bar-federal-law”>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-02/news/sns-rt-us-usa-florida-immigration-20140502_1_law-license-florida-bar-federal-law</a></p>