No admission to state schools for illegal immigrants. No financial aid for illegal immigrants. These are the new rallying cries of Virginia politician Jerry Kilgore, who wants to pass a law banning illegal immigrants from state universities.\nIs this an actual policy or just political rabble-rousing? Could this trend continue at IU? The issue has emotional value for many voters and thus garners media attention - not just because it is underhanded to use as scapegoats those who have no political rights to defend themselves, but also because it exploits the nerves of Americans who are struggling to pay tuition. The issue has emotional value for many voters and thus garners media attention. We would argue, however, that such policy is a major step toward institutionalized xenophobia.\nConsidering how difficult it is for a legal American to get into college, attending college as an illegal immigrant is nearly impossible. First, you have to perform well in school, take the SATs and then find a way to pay for college, since as an illegal immigrant you cannot file a FAFSA, which is a prerequisite for receiving federal and state need-based aid.\nThe parents of undocumented students are likely to be undocumented themselves, working long hours at low-paying jobs, and are unlikely to have completed even secondary school. And having poor, uneducated parents is not exactly conducive to academic success, especially for someone who already faces a culture and language barrier.\nYou have to be pretty darn smart to overcome all of this, and few American students can do it. No one knows how many illegal immigrants have accomplished this feat, but probably not more than a handful. If a few illegal immigrant students succeed at beating the system, more power to them. The University and the nation will undoubtedly benefit from smart and resourceful kids getting a better education. IU should stick with its policy.
DISSENT: Kilgore’s proposal, if accepted by the legislature, will take a long step in continued protection of state tax payers. All states must attend to their primary responsibility and ensure that residents are reaping the greatest benefit from their tax payments.\nTake into account that IU is a public institution funded in part by the general tax fund. In 2006-2007, the amount of money allocated to IU was just under $550 million, most paid for by more than 6 million Indiana residents. Estimated to total 45,000 in 2000 by the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, illegal immigrants don’t have residency status and therefore avoid paying income taxes, an evasion that for a U.S. citizen is a very serious offense.\nThe argument in support of Kilgore’s position is straightforward. Combine it with the fact that admission of illegal immigrants could potentially limit public university access for residents, and our path should be clear. -- Jacob Stewart
