KATE BRUMBACK, Associated Press
ATLANTA — Opponents of a policy that effectively bans illegal immigrants from Georgia's most competitive state colleges and universities on Tuesday asked the university system to overturn it.
"This policy effectively tells an entire group of perfectly qualified students that they're not good enough solely because of their immigration status," Juan Carlos Cardoza-Oquendo, a senior at the University of Georgia and the son of immigrants, told the committee.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia last year implemented the policy barring any school that has rejected academically qualified applicants in the previous two years from accepting illegal immigrants. That includes five Georgia colleges and universities: the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Georgia Health Sciences University and Georgia College & State University. Illegal immigrants may still be admitted to any other state college or university, provided that they pay out-of-state tuition.
Keish Kim, an illegal immigrant from Korea, also testified before the committee. She is currently taking a class offered by Freedom University, a program offered by several University of Georgia professors on their own time that is open to students regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay.
"My parents brought me here in hopes of giving me the opportunity to dream higher than they ever could," she said. "But here in Georgia it has stopped me even before I had the chance to spread my wings."
Cardoza-Oquendo argued that a study the Regents themselves conducted proved that illegal immigrants were not a burden on Georgia's university system.
The Regents conducted the study last year amid public concerns that Georgia state colleges and universities were being overrun by illegal immigrants, that taxpayers were subsidizing their education and legal residents were being displaced. The study found that less than 1 percent of the state's public college students were illegal immigrants, and that students who pay out-of-state tuition more than pay for their education.
The committee members listened to the students and then committee vice chair Mansfield Jennings thanked them for their perspective.
"Thank you all for being with us and thank you for bringing us this educated idea," Jennings said, adding that he wasn't sure when the full board might take up the issue or when a decision might be made.
A coalition of groups opposing the policy also held a news conference Tuesday afternoon outside the Capitol to urge the Regents to rescind the policy.
i as an American citizen am sick of illegals thinking our tax dollars should be spent on them and their education ,what about all the legal Americans who can't afford to go to school but yet our schools are full of illegals,so if you want the same privileges that Americans have then go back and come here legally or stay in your own country,we have hard enough time keeping up Americans let alone illegalswonder if we would be welcomed into your countries and given everything if we were illegal?I bet the answer to that is a big no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack Abramoff's account of how easy it is to buy politicians in Washington tells the story. Lobby groups like the Chamber of Commerce are able to compromise, not only the politicians, but their staff, by promising them lucrative jobs. It's all about money and greed.
Lack of enforcement of our immigration laws is the result of the lack of character of our politicians - They Are All Liars And Crooks, who are perpetuated by the ignorance of the electorate - Stop Reelecting Liars And Crooks!!!
And, Stop Buying The Products And Services of the businesses(lobbyists), who profit from employing illegal aliens. You know who they are.
I think people who do not want these young people to attend public universities are short sighted. First of all, they were mostly raised in this country and the country has already invested a lot of money in their education. When you realize that many people born in this country do not qualify to enter some of these universities, it is a real accomplish to have the accreditation to be admitted. Secondly, with the investment in these young adults, it would be nuts to send them to their native countries and let those countries benefit from the investment already in them. Lastly, if they are allowed to stay, the country will benefit most if they are as educated as they can be. Remember, their parents brought them here and the children had no say in coming. Now that they are productive adults, why punish them?
Wilder, if you stopped buying the food produced with illegal immigrant labor in this country, you would come close to starving to death. Do you understand that?
Tahuaya, why is it that the USA should be the ONLY country in the entire WORLD with open borders? What’s wrong with the illegals becoming LEGAL workers by getting work visa’s, making their money and then GOING HOME? WITH THEIR KIDS?
If they continue to SUCK THE MONEY out of the USA Taxpayers pockets at the present rate, there ain’t a gonna be any money left. Don’t you read or hear the news? It’s quite OBVIOUS that YOU don’t understand……..WE are BROKE.
@tahayou
3% of the illegal aliens in this country work in agriculture. Even though 97% of them work elsewhere, uninformed people like you have bought into the "we will all starve without them" talking point, that's widely dessiminated by illegal alien advocates. It is a lot more dramatic than saying "we can't live without our wall to wall carpeting".
If I call someone to do work around my home, and they show up with a non-English speaking crew, I send them on their merry way. If enough people do the same, they will get the message. They may have to hang up their cell phones,get out of their monster trucks and actually do the work themselves.
Americans always start this "ship'em back" mantra during economic down turns, but you were the ones who begged them to come here in the first place. Then you wine and dine them with high praise, telling them they're not like those "other" people here who have no work ethics. Then you try to turn those "other" people against them when you want to ship'em back. It's an endless cycle that's been going on for well over a century. If you don't want them here then stop sending your missionaries into their countries, convincing them America is the land of "milk and honey" and the streets are lined with "gold!" If you stay out of their countries with your lies they won't try to follow you back home.
@shen
I think that you are confused. I can assure you that the vast majority of Americans didn't invite them here, or wine and dine them, when they arrived.
They were recruited here by the self-serving business class, who used their wealth on morally corrupt politicians to disable our law enforcement. Of course, their homelands were more than happy to unload the liablility.
The only missionaries encouraging them to come to America, were sent by a guy who resides in Europe and wears a funny looking pointed hat. His strategy was to increase his take, by increasing their incomes.
By the way, illegal aliens who came here 100 years ago weren't able to rob taxpayers, by defruauding the IRS, and non-existent social services. It's apples and oranges.
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