PLATFORM : Two-Tier Tuition Is Shortsighted Solution

This legal challenge is part of a trend--the mounting effort to keep immigrants out of the country. However, immigrants do not come here undocumented just to send their children to college as state residents. This legal case does not deal with the root cause of illegal immigration--the violation of human rights and civil rights in other countries. The suit is shortsighted because fewer of these students would attend college if they had to pay the more costly out-of-state tuition. As a result, California could have additional budget problems because an education helps keep people off the state dole.

In most cases, these (undocumented) students have become Americanized because they’ve been here for some time and worked hard and qualified on the same basis as other students. With a college education, they can become full contributors to the state and society. These students are not taking something away from society, they’re trying to give something back.