Lawmaker aims to aid illegal immigrants in college grant money

Crafting college path - San Bernardino County Sun

I love the last sentence. ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL - dumb asses!!!!! Like I want to pay for them to go to college on a grant but I can't get one!! I wonder if I was in Mexico illegally if I can get college grants? I am sure they would tell me I was there illegally and probably through me in jail or deport me.


Lawmaker aims to aid illegal immigrants
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 05/03/2008 10:14:13 PM PDT

Andrea Galicia is an accomplished student who wants to become a high-school Spanish teacher.
But the 18-year-old senior at Colton High School, who has a 3.6 grade-point average and expects to graduate in June, faces an uncertain academic future.

Because she is in the country illegally, higher education comes at a steep price.

"I came here because my parents wanted to work and they wanted us to get a better education," said Galicia, who has a 20-year-old sister and a 15-year-old brother. "We want to go to college, but because we are unable to work (legally), we can't afford an education."

A bill in the state Legislature would provide an easier path for students like Galicia to pursue their education.

State Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, is sponsoring a measure, known as the California Dream Act, that allows illegal immigrants to get financial aid to attend state colleges and universities.

State law already allows illegal immigrants who graduate from high school to pay the same fees as citizens and legal residents to go to community colleges and four-year universities in California.
But they are ineligible to receive public financial assistance, although they may qualify for private scholarships and grants.

Supporters of the bill say illegal immigrants have a hard time affording college because they can't get federal grants or loans and are unable to legally work.

"Undocumented immigrant students should not be penalized in coming to this country," said Gil Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County board of education who is running for the Assembly. "Their parents never asked them permission to bring them."

The measure, S.B. 1301, would allow illegal immigrants to apply and compete for state grants, scholarships, work-study and loan programs.

A previous version of the bill was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.

"California has over 100,000 students here legally who apply annually to attend college, and our state has limited funds available for this important purpose," Schwarzenegger said in his veto message.

The state Finance Department opposes the bill, which it estimates would cost $7.6million in the budget year starting July 1 and $15.6million annually thereafter.

"The bill would penalize students who reside in the state legally by reducing the amount of financial aid they rely upon to attend college," said H.D. Palmer, a department spokesman.

Cedillo's bill is in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee. His office said he is working to change the measure to address concerns about its financial impacts.

Similar legislation has been introduced at the federal level. It would provide a path to legalization for highly qualified illegal-immigrant students.

Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa, said the state should not reward people who are in the country illegally.

"We only have so much money. If people have gone through the process and are here legally, we have to look out for them first," Cook said.

Navarro disagreed.

"It's going to cost the state more money if children are not educated," he said. "This is an opportunity to allow a group of highly qualified students to receive higher education with financial support."

Galicia said she doesn't want special treatment. But she also doesn't want to end up in a low-wage job like her father.

"I would like people who are not legal here to have the same opportunity to get money for college," she said.