Rep. Esquival hits the nail on the head
e southern
OREGON.com IBLOGS
Tuition equity unfair to citizens
The session has taken off like a rocket. Our office is flooded with meeting requests and we have been surprised by a number of visitors from home.
Tuition Equity –HB 2787 allowing Oregon students who are here illegally to pay in-state tuition for Oregon colleges.
As many of you know this is a difficult issue for me. I open my arms to anyone who wants to come to America but obeying the law is first and foremost. By encouraging students to stay here illegally, Oregon violates federal law.
“It is a violation of law for any entity to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection in any place, any illegal alien who is in the United States in violation of law. Harboring means any conduct that tends to substantially facilitate an alien to remain in the U.S. illegally. ”
If you are a U.S. citizen from another state you have to pay approximately $114,000 for out-of-state tuition – but Oregon colleges will accept students here illegally at approximately $32,000 per year. Basically I see this legislation as a direct discrimination against U.S. citizens.
In 2009 when I presented the legislation to allow U.S. veterans to receive instate tuition in Oregon schools there was a fiscal cost to the state of more than $7,000 per student per year. Interesting enough with HB2787, the carrier stated there was no fiscal impact involved. In other words it costs Oregon to have U.S. veterans attend at in-state rates but doesn’t cost for illegal students?
HB2787 passed the House 38-18.
Rep. Sal Esquivel
