Tuition for Illegal Immigration (Aliens') in Arkansas Legislature (SB981)

by Laura Kellams, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Sen. Hank Wilkins, D-Pine Bluff, on Monday filed SB981 what he’s calling the “Access to Postsecondary Education Act of 2007,” which requires that resident tuition status at public universities be granted to illegal immigrants' (aliens’) children who’ve attended high school in Arkansas at least three years. ... Massachusetts rejected a similar proposal last year. [editor note: Arkansas also previously rejected this measure]

Ira Mehlman said such laws say to illegal aliens, “If you come here illegally, we’ll reward your child with a subsidized college education.” Betsy Hagan, president of Eagle Forum of Arkansas, “It’s about the rule of law.... I realize that the state problem goes back to the federal government, but we need to stop it here, where we’re not encouraging them to come here."...

A 1996 federal law bars illegal aliens from obtaining financial benefits at a public college that are not allowed to all U. S. citizens. ... Arkansas has one of the nation’s fastest-growing immigrant populations. The Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D. C., a nonpartisan research organization, estimates that 40, 000 illegal aliens of different ethnic backgrounds lived in Arkansas in 2004. [Read More]
Email legislators or at least all senators since SB981 is in the Senate Education Committee. Call and leave a message for your senator at 501-682-2902. Ask your senator to vote against Wilkins bill SB981 to give instate tuition costs to illegal immigrants (aliens). You may leave a message for two people - your senator and some person on the committee would be a good start.
Note: this bill does not apply to children born in the United States to illegal aliens because these children are under current law legal citizens.

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Tags: Arkansas, illegal immigrants, tuition