[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5687-H5688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  PREFERENCE POLICY PLAN FOR ILLEGALS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the Senate's new repackaged immigration 
proposal, the ``Give America Away Act,'' has a provision that should be 
of concern to college students and parents who foot the bill for 
college. It gives the illegals in the United States a better deal than 
U.S. citizens or legal immigrants when it comes to the cost of college 
tuition for State universities.

[[Page H5688]]

  If this idea becomes law, besides granting amnesty to 12 million to 
20 million illegals in the United States, it will treat those illegals 
better than U.S. citizens and legal immigrants when it comes to college 
costs. The idea is to grant all illegals a status so they can attend 
State universities as an in-State tuition even though they illegally 
entered the United States.
  Some States already allow illegals to attend State universities and 
pay in-State tuition. Unfortunately, my State of Texas was one of the 
first, along with California.
  Currently there are about a dozen States that allow this absurd 
policy of preference. Some States are considering opposite laws that 
require illegals to pay out-of-State tuition. No matter what the people 
want or the States want, a proposal in this new immigration policy plan 
will require all States that allow illegals to attend State 
universities to pay only in-State tuition, not out-of-State tuition.
  So, what's the difference in cost? Well, if you are an in-State 
resident in Texas and attend the University of Texas, you pay about 
$1,500 for 12 semester hours. If you are an out-of-State student, say a 
student from Tennessee, you pay over $4,000 for 12 semester hours. So 
this proposal will discriminate against American citizens and legal 
immigrants, and favor and prefer illegals.
  An example. If you are from New York and you want to get admitted to 
the University of Texas, you have to pay out-of-State tuition because, 
simply, you are not from Texas. Or, as we say, ``You're not from around 
here.'' But if you are an illegal and get admitted to the University of 
Texas, you will get to pay in-State tuition.
  If the Senate plan passes, this preference policy will be law and 
apply to every State, whether they like it or not. This is blatant 
discrimination against Americans and legal residents. So American 
students and parents, get your checkbooks out, because you are going to 
pay more for college than people who illegally enter the United States. 
You will be discriminated against by your own government. So, if you 
want to attend a State college somewhere in America other than your own 
State, and you don't have the money to pay the extra tuition, well, 
it's just too bad.
  Mr. Speaker, this is just another reason this so-called new 
immigration reform proposal is a bad idea for America. It is nothing 
more than a preference policy for people illegally in the United 
States.
  And that's just the way it is.

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