After we spend so much money to educate these children in our grade schools and high schools, why would we want them to miss out on getting a college education? With a college degree, they can get a good job, will probably stay in the state and pay taxes, buy houses and cars and furniture and all the other things they need. They will more than pay back the money we spent on them. DP
NewsOK.com, The Oklahoman: The resident tuition law passed in 2003 allows certain undocumented immigrants to attend Oklahoma colleges and universities. To be eligible, students must have lived in Oklahoma for at least two years before graduating from an Oklahoma high school or passing a high school equivalency exam.
Those eligible can:
Enroll in public colleges and universities.
Pay resident tuition rates.
Apply for state-funded scholarships and financial aid.
The proposed legislation is one sign of a changing political climate toward illegal immigrants, Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, said after the meeting. She said she couldn't understand targeting children who were brought here involuntarily by parents.
"Do we want to help them get a better future to help our economy grow, or do we want to punish them? I think it's as simple as that," Leftwich said, repeating an argument used to pass the bill two years ago.
Altogether, the undocumented students constituted 1/10 of 1 percent of the state's 195,000 undergraduates, the report said.
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