Today California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a tough decision; he will either dash the hopes of illegal aliens wanting to have the state pay for their higher education and veto The Dream Act, or the governor can do nothing and the legislation will become law after midnight.
With Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman in the middle of housekeeper-gate (opponents say she knowingly hired an illegal maid) and Republican Senatorial candidate Carly Fiorina, who said at her first debate that she supports the Dream Act, the governors office is waiting until the last day to decided the fate of two immigration bills.
Many opponents think the federal DREAM Act that languished a few weeks ago in Washington D.C. was nothing more than granting amnesty for illegal immigrants that would only encourage more illegal immigration.
The Heritage Foundation believes Congress needs to work “toward an immigration system that enforces rule of law, maintains security, and promotes the economy. Such a system can be achieved by robustly enforcing immigration laws, securing the border, reforming the visa system, and working with Mexico and other appropriate countries on law enforcement/public safety issues as well as free market initiatives.”
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act essentially repeals part of a prior federal law- specifically the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA); “that prohibits any state from offering in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens unless the state also offers in-state tuition rates to all U.S. citizens,” according to The Heritage Foundation.
Consequences of enacting a Dream-type piece of legislation include; rewarding illegal behavior by giving them in-state tuition, encourage more illegal aliens to cross the often treacherous southern borders knowing children will get a college education at taxpayer expense, penalizes U.S. residents from seeking college outside their state because they will have to pay out-of-state tuition and it stops all deportations of those 36 and under if they attend college or join the military.
“Instead of focusing on making amnesty the centerpiece of immigration reform efforts, Congress and the Administration should: Ensure robust enforcement of immigration laws, finish securing the border, institute much-needed reforms of the visa system and work with Mexico and other appropriate countries,” says Jena Baker McNeill, Policy Analyst for Homeland Security for The Heritage Foundation.