Somerville youth rally to override Romney

Somerville youth rally to override Romney
By George P. Hassett

    Dozens of Somerville youth rallied at the State House Oct. 25 to support a bill Governor Mitt Romney has said he will veto.
    The In-State Tuition Bill would allow the children of undocumented immigrants who have been in Massachusetts for three to five years to pay the in state tuition rate at state universities. Currently, they are charged three to five times more than other students.

    The youth who brought their issue to the state house are members of the Somerville based AVANCE Youth Program of The Welcome Project, the Peer Leadership Programs at Community Action Agency of Somerville and Centro Presente. They have been working to bring awareness and increase support of the bill.
    Eime, who declined to give her last name because she and her family are undocumented immigrants, said she plans on attending college and believes she should be able to pay the same rate as her classmates.
    “I want to go to a big college and become a lawyer, because I love democracy. Everybody wants an education and if I do well in high school, I think I should have the same opportunities as everybody else to pursue my dreams,” she said.
    The bill was filed by Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, D-Cambridge, in the Senate and Marie P. St. Fleur in the House. Romney vetoed the bill last year and has said he will veto it again.
    Lt. Governor Kerry Healey said she and Romney agree that the bill is a misguided attempt to assist the children of illegal immigrants.   

   "This bill does not fix a problem. It compounds an existing one. In fact, it makes no sense for Massachusetts taxpayers to bear the cost of a college education for an illegal immigrant when he or she cannot legally work in the United States and contribute to our economy. Furthermore, it diverts precious resources from other young immigrants who are here legally and who are struggling to succeed,” said Healey in her May testimony on the bill.
    Barrios said Romney and Healey have misstated a number of aspects of the bill.
    “When a child has done well in high school, they should be allowed to continue their achievements in college. This bill is not a scholarship program, it merely allows young people to continue their education,” he said.
    State Rep. Timothy J. Toomey Jr., D-Cambridge, said the bill will actually bring more money into the state and decrease the burden on taxpayers.
   “If they go to college and get a good job they will be paying considerably more in taxes than if they were denied the chance to develop and forced to flip hamburgers at McDonald’s,” he said.
   Michelle Fuentes, of the Welcome Project, said the bill would bring over $1 million in new revenue to the higher education system through tuition and fees.
   Barrios said he was inspired to file the bill by a woman who interned in his office.
  “This young lady was the valedictorian of her high school class. She had emigrated to America from El Salvador when she was two years old. She had worked hard and done the right thing but she was unable to attend college because her parents, though in the country legally, did not have the right residency status to qualify her for in-state tuition rates. She is just one of hundreds of reasons passing this bill is the right thing to do,” he said.
    Currently, 400 Massachusetts students are prevented from attending college every year because they are undocumented, said Eime.
   Healey said the commonwealth should not condone or encourage breaking the law by granting to illegal immigrants publicly funded opportunities such as in-state tuition.
   Eime maintains the children of illegal immigrants are no different than other young people in America.
   “Everybody in this country comes from immigrants. We want the same chance our classmates get, not anything more. We’re not aliens like they say we are,” she said.
    Toomey said he expects the bill to go to a vote in the next week or two and is hoping to get two/thirds of the vote so it can override a Romney veto. Until then, the Somerville youth who rallied on Oct. 25th, will be holding vigils at the State House from 1p.m. until 8p.m.

Comments

[Last_Idiot_just_bought]

Anyone know who the last IDIOT into the real estate market happened to be?

With rates on the rise, and inventory at record levels- only an IDIOT will pay close to the asking price.

The bubble is shrinking hourly- and watch out it may just pop.

It was nice while it lasted. But falling prices will do one good thing for all of us.

It will stabilize (freeze) who is here. And if they are still here in 10 years it might be a community once again.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

From what the article states, no one is denying illegal aliens the entry to institutions of higher learning. The one thing that is being witheld is in-state-tuition PRIVILEGES which would result in lower tuition costs for illegal alien children. Were these children to complete their taxpayer financed educations, then we'll revisit this issue in four years with the argument that America has invested in them. In Texas, this scenario is being played out this year.

These youths, are here illegally. Their parents are here illegally. Most delinquents will recognize that unlawful conduct carries with it some costs. In this case, the cost of entering the country, or remaining in it beyond your lawful visa limits, is the lack of any support. The countries of this multitude of youths should spring to their aid and pony up the necessary resources to secure them a first rate education in exchange for a few years of public service, at government wages, in their home country.

The same could apply to the huge problem of Medical cost of illegal alien health care. But why pay for something that some schmuck may give you for free?

[joanna p.]

Why oh why did I apply for citizenship at the age of 19? All that paperwork, the fingerprints, all those responsibilities, that pledge I had to take, just so I can pay income and property taxes and get $50K into debt to go to college like everyone else. Should have overstayed my green card. I actually had a doctor at BU hospital tell me when I was in grad school "Gee, it's too bad you have a job, you could come to the clinic for free." I was invited in, I said please and thank you and helped with the dishes. I followed the rules. You think that makes me better than someone who snuck into the country and now expects a free ride? You're damn right it does. The Welcome Project can take the tuition out of their own pocket, stay the hell away from mine.

[Frustrated]

Why are we punishing CHILDREN? Why is the economy in this country thriving because of low-wage undocumented immigrant labor? Why is nobody asking these questions?

[Ron Newman]

Joanna, the bill requires that any immigrant applying for in-state tuition also apply for citizenship.

My grandmother was an "illegal" immigrant -- she came here from Russia on a forged passport. Had she not done so, I wouldn't be here today. So I'm all for helping out immigrants and treating them the same as citizens. I couldn't care less whether someone is "illegal" or not.

[joanna p.]

That's swell that you care so much Ron. Put ten illegals through college if you want, just don't take their tuition out of my paycheck. You'll note I'm not hitting you up for donations to my unemployed uncle in Poland. Incidentally, since I'm actually both an immigrant and a citizen, and have gotten fingerprinted for the first time for my green card at the age of 10, would you care to chip in for that 50K in student loans of mine? Or are some immigrants more equal than others?

[Tricky]

Joanne, the question is not about your 50k in student loans. The question is about whether in-state tuition should be allowed.

Did you attend a state school? Do tell.

[Ron Newman]

To get in-state tuition in Massachusetts, you need to have lived in the state for a certain period of time.

That is all that should matter -- not the student's immigration status. This bill simply corrects an inequity.

[joanna p.]

The student's immigration status is precisely what is at issue! What's the difference between a citizen and a non-citizen? What rights, privileges and concomitant responsibilites are reserved for the citizen? What is the value in becoming one? Or does everybody just come to this country to stuff their pockets and eat the rich?

http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50040478?query_type=word&queryword=citizen&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=0D8L-xp0cGK-14420&hilite=50040478

[to: Ron Neman move!]

Ron,,, once again you prove that you truly are a progressive Dem A-hole. What don't you understand about the word illegal? The illegal immigrant should receive zero benefits. The documented legal immigrant should have all the benefits as my/other legal immigrant grandparents received (in fact many more than the older immigrants). It is this type of thinking that makes us vote republican and non PDS candidates. You PDS people always think that you have the answers. Focus on your own problem and stop worrying about the City, Country and World problems.

[Stace]

Your grandparents were not welcomed with open arms when they arrived. People back then were just as xenophobic then as much as we are today. It just so happens today we have institutionalized our xenophobia. We actually have laws to keep those forenigers (such as your grandparents) away. The odds are your grandparents were uneducated rejects with barely a high school diploma form Europe.

These kids are smart and well educated future tax payers. We already paid for their K12 and it was a good investment, they are going on to college so one day they can support you and me with their income taxes.

[PDShater]

Well it looks like you PDS assholes have done it again. You have managed to ruin Halloween for this schoolkids this year. No Halloween parties were allowed in school this year because they din't want to offend anyone. Thankfully though you'll be teaching the kids how to be gay. PDS dickheads.

[What are you talking about? The PDS celibates Halloween!]

What are you talking about? The PDS celibates Halloween! They generously gave us The Senatorial Witch and the old Crypt Lady AKA Old Yellow Dog Face! Don't forget John L Frankenstein, Grandpa Tony L The Portuguese Vampire, Eddie Munster Scortino and Zorro AKA Marty the Gay Blade!

[ILoveNascar]

No caviar...
It's beer and Mopar
Vroom Vroom Vroom
Vroom Vroom
I love NASCAR!!!

[mommy]

I love your mother.

[Ron Newman]

Excuse me, but what does PDS have to do with Halloween in schools? I've never heard of the organization taking any position whatsoever on this.

[Hey Ron, I forgot to add you to the PDS Halloween party look alike list!]

Hey Ron, I forgot to add you to the PDS Halloween party look alike list! How could I for get to thank the PDS for giving us "Cousin It" AKA Ron Newman. We can't tell if it's your front or your back! But the shoe fits because you don't know if your coming or going!