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These individuals are hiding from the law
Posted by Kim on December 22nd, 2005
If you’re trying to go to college without paying, and you’re not a US citizen, don’t come to MA. (It’s about time.)
BOSTON – Among the 14,000 high school students offered free tuition to Massachusetts state colleges were dozens of undocumented immigrants who shouldn’t have qualified for the scholarship program, according to a published report.
The students received letters this month from Gov. Mitt Romney telling them that because of their high scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests, they had qualified for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.
On Monday, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey visited Framingham High School to personally deliver the news to 148 seniors. But school officials said at least four of those students are Brazilian nationals who are here illegally, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday.
Statewide, at least 30 undocumented students recieved the letters and must now be told that they do not qualify for the scholarships, said Ali Noorani, who heads the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public schools are required to educate the children of illegal immgrants, but federal law prohibits government financial aid for such students.
Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the scholarship letters are based solely on the students’ MCAS scores, not on their immigration status. He said Healey had no way to know that four of the students she met Monday were illegal.
“It’s impossible to know who is here illegally, because these individuals are hiding from the law,” he said.
Only when the students attempt to cash in on the scholarship can the state find out that they are illegal, said Eileen O’Connor, spokeswoman for the state Board of Higher Education.
To get the tuition waiver, students have to fill out a federal application for student aid, which asks if they are legal residents of the United States. If not, they are disqualified, she said.
They need to figure out a way to see who is here illegally. Then disqualify them right there on the spot. Then kick them out.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:10 am
I knew a student in Texas who was valedictorian of her class and an illegal alien. She was here because her parents brought her across the border when she was a baby, not becuase she came here on her own. She worked hard, she was admired by others, and she earned her recognition. But she could not be awarded a state-supported scholarship. In my mind, she exhibits all that we want from American immigrants and all that many of our parents and grandparents worked for. To write her off because she is here illegally is wrong. In fact, I think these students ought to be offered citizenship in the U.S. because they have earned it.
January 4th, 2006 at 11:15 am
Ray – wingnuttiness has no room such nuances.
January 4th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
They need to figure out a way to see who is here illegally. Then disqualify them right there on the spot. Then kick them out.
Yeah! Then maybe we can cover them in honey and pour fire ants all over their heads!
Then we can pretend to be the immigrant we just caught, and mail their Mom in El Salvadore or wherever, and then she opens it up, thinking it’s food money or something and BLAMMO! Mail bomb. Two birds, one stone, plus we’d probably get a few of the kids too. You can’t throw a newspaper without hitting someone’s soon to be illegal immigrant kid around there anyway…
All kidding aside, you couldn’t sound much more spiteful to people you don’t know. If you had any idea how hard a go it is for some immigrants, just to have a chance at what you’ve been entitled to since the moment of your birth, I have a feeling you wouldn’t be opening that maw of yours so often.