Atlanta Forward readers responded to last week’s columns on whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to pay in-state tuition to attend college, which the Board of Regents disallows. Here are some selected comments.
MENO: Interesting how those complaining about handouts and free rides actually oppose doing something that would clearly enable individuals to be productive, working, tax-paying citizens. This is without even considering the benefits "illegals" provide us. Can anyone find an example of someone who has either been kept from legally entering this country or attending a school of their choice because some "illegal" has taken a spot?
Agent: I wage to bet that nearly all of these illegal immigrants are not well-educated and are therefore unskilled workers who make very little money. Do you really think these uneducated illegals making very little money will pay income tax? The answer is no. Do you also believe they want to pay taxes? The answer is no. They broke one law coming here and they'll sure break others. This is not being short-sighted. This is being tired of paying for others, plain and simple.
Tryharder: When I first moved to Georgia, I paid out-of-state tuition for a year until Georgia recognized me as one of its citizens. There is nothing wrong with universities charging out-of-state tuition for those who do not qualify to be Georgia residents. I, too, am sick of all the government handouts going to people who are not citizens of this country. Our public education and health care are being overrun with illegals who don't pay a dime into it. When will the U.S. taxpayers and voters put an end to this?
Dusty: If Azadeh Shashahani of the ACLU is so worried about illegal students, perhaps she should concentrate on encouraging them to apply for citizenship, not look for loopholes to keep them here illegally. On another point, the AJC could investigate why are departments in universities run by first-born "legals" whose parents are of other nationalities and find it necessary to load their departments with "researchers" from the "old country." These researchers are here legally, but they never seem to go home. I know of some departments in Georgia universities where only nationals from a certain country get jobs. Others find themselves rejected for one reason or another. Contrary to what universities say, many of their departments are fully staffed with long-term "internationals," usually of the same nationality as the former one of the department "head." Americans are being deprived of jobs [that are being] being given to non-citizens.
Pompano: Does anyone think that a group howling over paying out-of-state tuition will actually ever pay back-taxes and fines? Will never happen. The handout mentality has already been drilled into this population. We educate them for free, give them free medical care and all we hear is, "We want more."
