<p>I understand that the University of California will now be charging in-state tuition for illegal aliens.</p>
<p>My son has a 2300 SAT and a 34 ACT. But he lives in Florida. So he is out of state.</p>
<p>So he would have to pay double or triple what an illegal alien pays, to go to a UC school.</p>
<p>On my side of the family, my family has been paying taxes to this country for 100 years. My father was a WW II vet, who served three years in North Africa and Burma. His brother was an actual combat soldier at the Battle of the Bulge. On his mother's side of the family, they have been paying taxes for FOUR HUNDRED YEARS (his mother is a descendant of the original Mayflower people). On his mother's side, they fought, and died, in just about every war this country has ever been involved in.</p>
<p>I am not anti-immigrant. In fact, I am the grandson of immigrants. If I were from Mexico, I would want to come to America too.</p>
<p>I know that some of these kids came to California with their parents, and didn't necessarily plan to come here. But that doesn't mean that they should count as state residents, and be given what amounts to lower tuition subsidized by legal California residents.</p>
<p>When I told my son that California, and about ten other states, gave in-state tuition to illegal aliens, he literally thought I was joking. And he is a liberal</p>
<p>Or look at it another way. At a time when California is going broke, and raising tuition for TRUE California residents, you would think that they would want to take more out of state applicants, who will be paying a much higher tuition, rather than giving those spots to illegal aliens.</p>
<p>small nit, just know that it was the State Legislature that changed the law (which was signed by the Gov). Yes, UC supported the change for “residents” (defined as attending a Calif HS for three years), but it still came down to the Legislature to make it happen.</p>
<p>btw, floridadad, your S could move to California, attend a California HS and graduate from same after three years, and he too, would be eligible for instate tuition. (Many wealthy internationals do just that – they send their kids to live in top school districts in California.)</p>
<p>Floridadad: Not sure why the issue of how long your family has paid taxes is relevant, but you do know that plenty of illegal immigrants pay taxes just like you do. </p>
<p>I’m a CA resident. Frankly, I’d prefer the state spend my tax dollars by giving these children free K-12 public education and in-state tuition, then spend spend that same money to hunt them down and deport them.</p>
<p>“At a time when California is going broke, and raising tuition for TRUE California residents, you would think that they would want to take more out of state applicants, who will be paying a much higher tuition, rather than giving those spots to illegal aliens.” </p>
<p>Assuming his UC GPA matches his standardized tests, I’m sure your son can get a “spot” too.</p>
<p>Props to the University of California for doing something that’s both sensible and compassionate, even when the voices of those who oppose it are intensely strident.</p>
<p>Floridadad, you don’t have a dog in that fight. If you were a CA resident who had paid CA taxes I would give you a pass, but you have paid less in CA taxes than the immigrants you rail against. And it’s my understanding the CA school system is taking more OOS students.</p>
<p>Just to provide some clarification to this discussion. California has not just passed a law that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tutition. That has been the rule since 2001 when it passed a law allowing illegal immigrants who graduated from California high schools to pay in-state tuition for its colleges. In other words, this thread is discussing something that actually occurred 10 years ago.</p>
<p>The law just passed allows such illegal aliens to qualify for state provided financial aid when attending college.</p>
<p>Floridadad55 - it’s the CA state government that passed the Dream Act, not the Univ. of California. So you are barking at the wrong institution.</p>
<p>And, as a CA resident, I’d prefer to be funding education for illegal immigrants who live in the state rather than funding life-long social support services for them. College-educated residents are exactly the sort of productive taxpayers that CA needs to hang onto. Pushing them into lives of uneducated poverty by denying them opportunities for education will result in a much higher tax burden for CA residents in the long run.</p>
<p>In my opinion, that’s even worse !!! I didn’t realize that in addition to in-state tuition, they were also giving financial aid to illegals.</p>
<p>The financial aid going to illegals is money that could go to american citizens instead.</p>
<p>I guess I am behind the times. If I had a choice between giving the limited financial aid money that is available to citizens over non citizens, I would give it to citizens, not because I hate illegal aliens, but just out of plain common sense. In fact, I respect the Mexican immigrants immensely. I just don’t think they have any business getting government benefits if they are not here legally, any more than I (or my high school kid)have a right to expect to get government benefits from France if I decide to move to Paris tommorrow.</p>
<p>Here’s a solution: pay in-state tuition at any public school in Florida.</p>
<p>Is it that bad to have aliens get in-state tuition in the state they reside? Or would you prefer that they had to pay out of state EVERYWHERE? Because if you choose that option then don’t complain when the immigrants continue to be a burden on the economy.</p>
<p>Floridad: illegal immigrants not only pay income tax and sales tax, they pay social security taxes as well, from which they cannot derive future benefits. </p>
<p>This country was built by immigrants (there was no “illegal” in the 1800s) including much of the state of California. Yes, you are behind the times. My child I’d applying OOD to two UC schools and I expect to pay full tuition. I’m much more concerned about the impact of draconian budget cuts on programs than on whether an intelligent child of fruit pickers got a good deal.</p>
<p>Here’s a thought- if you want in-state tuition, how about you go to the…state where you actually live (Florida)? Better to give illegal immigrants the opportunity to go to college here, especially since they’re probably here through no fault of their own, rather than to have them become a drain on the economy instead of getting decent jobs with decent educations.</p>
<p>Personally, as a California resident, I do believe that illegal immigrants who came here as children deserve in-state tuition. However, could there be a worse time to give illegal immigrants the same access to financial aid as students here legally? The financial aid is already limited, and I know of many people (that are not that well off) who are currently paying full tuition at a UC. UC’s are stretched enough as it is without adding this burden. There should be more private scholarships offered to illegal immigrants instead.</p>