Georgia education officials have officially voted and approved a measure to bar illegal immigrants from attending five of the states public colleges. This is the second state to approve such a ban, as South Carolina also approved such a proposal earlier this year. This ban will begin in the fall of 2011.
Several other states are tackling the same issue on whether illegal immigrants who attend high school in the U.S. should be allowed to attend public colleges and universities. The center of these debates stems on the price students will pay for tuition, in-state or out of state rates. In several states illegal immigrants who attend high school are allowed in-state tuition rates. In California, a case involving federal immigration law and the in-state tuition of immigrants is hearing argument on possible federal immigration law violations.
The ban was believed to be part of a recent case involving a student who announced she was illegally in the U.S. and faced possible deportation. The student, Jessica Colotl, attended Kennesaw State University in Georgia and was allowed to finish her degree. The school board officials believe other cases might arise and planned to discontinue the in-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants. The complete ban on illegal immigrants in these 5 Georgia state schools was approved by the Georgia Board of Regents in a 14-2 vote.
Georgia immigration rights groups are protesting the vote and are claiming the ban is only the first step in a plan to make all state colleges and universities part of the plan. No information has been provided regarding students who are currently enrolled in these colleges. Officials have made no statements regarding any other changes such as out of state tuition for students enrolled in other schools throughout the state.
South Carolina and Georgia are not the only states that ban illegal immigrants from higher education institutions. In North Carolina and Alabama, undocumented students are not allowed to attend community colleges in the area. There is currently no federal law regarding the ban on illegal students attending college. Many argue these students are limited in how they can use their degrees once they graduate. Without documentation these degrees are almost worthless and now without the DREAM act, these students are now limited to only a high school education.
Immigration lawyer, Houston, Texas
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