Illinois set up a private scholarship fund for illegal immigrant students in 2011
SPRINGFIELD – The University of Illinois is on a mission to usher in a new set of financial and political benefits for students attending Illinois public higher education centers but are not American citizens.
While taxpayers at home are expecting state lawmakers to be furiously working to get a budget passed for the first time in two years, instead, lawmakers are being bombarded with an avalanche controversy-ridden bills that they have little or no time to fully vet.
SB 2196 is likely to face House floor votes over the next few days. SB 2204 is headed for the Governor's desk.
SB 2196, sponsored by four House Democrats and Republicans Bob Pritchard and Ed Sullivan – will add to in-state tuition benefits for students who are in America illegally. The bill will allow non-citizens to be eligible to apply or receive consideration for any student aid or benefit funded or administered by the State, State agencies, public institutions, or the university, including scholarships, grants, awards, stipends, room and board, tuition waivers, or other financial or in-kind assistance, excluding Monetary Award Program grants.
Currently, undocumented students in Illinois are eligible for lower in-state tuition costs and able to apply for the state's privately-funded DREAM Act scholarship set up especially for them by the legislature in 2011.
It is unknown how much the sought change in policy will cost Illinois taxpayers to have state aid funding and benefits available to another predicted 1500 students – the number the University of Illinois suggests would qualify – making the competition pool for financial aid larger.
The sponsors are pushing for students living in Illinois who are not citizens to have the same access to educational and career opportunities as Illinois students born in America have by making state grants, scholarships, and other forms of aid available to those attending taxpayer-funded universities.
As concerns rise for the cost of illegals on welfare and public health care rolls, the legislation will add to taxpayers costs, and will add to Illinois' attractiveness to those immigrating to the Midwest. Illinois would be the second Midwestern state to add this benefit for those in the United States illegally. Minnesota is the other state in the Midwest that allows undocumented student to receive state financial aid, as does California, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas.
Neighboring Indiana, Arizona, and Georgia bar undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition rates.
The state's nine public universities – who are currently fighting to get funds promised to them from the state's depleted budget – are supporting this effort, as is SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana, the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Policy Forum, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
SB 2196 passed the Illinois Senate 30 to 19, with Democrats crossing the aisle to vote no, and Republicans Chris Nybo and Minority Leader Christine Radogno voting "Yes."
More on SB 2204 coming …
This is an outrageous abuse of Americans generosity and support of education. Illinois would prefer to change the State into a welfare and entitlement State paid for by American middle class workers.
I support those law breaking illegal aliens going back to their country of origin!
The continual drumbeat for illegal aliens. And it has long been supported by both political parties.
Whites now constitute a minority in our stat public schools according to the Illinois State Report Card.
Very soon, this state will resemble California and its voting patterns.
Thank you, Republican establishment at both the state and national level for letting this happen. You are destroying the Republican Party out of greed and cowardice.
Pander, Bob, Pander. Your work has turned Illinois so Republican! The “natural Republican constituency” has made Rauner”s job so easy! Mark Kirk’s gonna do so well!
They should pass a law that will state that, if a university employee knows that an applicant is an illegal alien, that employee must notify ICE, so that the illegal can be arrested and deported the same day.
The democrats realize that they may have lost the confidence of the people so pandering to the illegals provides some kind of insurance policy for the future.
Who does this $^&# the most? Kids who come from families that are “too rich” (basically lower Middle Class is hurt the most). This does NOTHING to bring DOWN the price of an overvalued product, which lower Middle/Middle class kids are left with the bill for. Like every program, this will push the price UP. Pander, pander, pander